Lead With Your Heart
by OnceUponAShipper
Summary: Emma and Regina have survived a lot in their years together; births, deaths, new loves. But, when the Queen and the Savior's family is put in danger by a new, mysterious villain out for blood, it's their job to unmask their enemy! Are the messages true? Have they really tipped the scales of good and evil? **Continuation of "Come Back to Me."** SwanQueen!
1. Feelings

Two months after returning from the dead, and to her home, Emma was still haunted by the images of her unconscious. Every night when she fell asleep with Regina in her arms, the Savior went back and forth between getting shot at Granny's Diner, and seeing Neal again for the first time in 16 years. It was as though her mind were separated by the two events; two separate driving forces that created a frenzy in her mind.

After her screaming match with Regina, Emma started to feel a small amount of relief. However, it wasn't enough to forget everything she had been through, and everything she had put her family through. It also didn't erase the fact that there was another enemy out there trying to harm everyone Emma loved. Even the almighty Savior couldn't comfort herself.

A month into Emma's recovery, her bed rest orders were revoked, but her status as sheriff was in the hands of the mayor. No amount of begging could return Emma her shield and gun, and Regina saw to it that Emma stayed away from the station. David was more than happy to take on Emma's workload, as his own guilt gnawed at his heart. He'd never forgive himself for letting his daughter take a bullet for him. Never.

In the evenings, Emma was content to spend time with her wife and children. But, during the day, there was a lot on her mind. She and Regina were on speaking terms, but there was a lot Emma hadn't told her wife. They weren't secrets necessarily. She just didn't want to worry Regina. Between running a town, taking care of the family, and finding out who/what was after them, Emma figured Regina had enough on her plate. She was used to having a larger role to play, and being on house arrest put a cramp in her style.

Unbeknownst to Regina, Emma didn't waste her days cooped inside. No, Emma had one secret from her wife- for the first time in a long time, Emma was hiding something from Regina. Once a week- every Wednesday- at exactly twelve p.m., Red stopped by to pick Emma up. Along with her job, Emma's driving privileges were also gone.

Emma made Red swear on Peter's grave that she wouldn't tell a soul about their outings. Although unafraid of her friend, Red still harbored resistance towards Regina. Needless to say, she kept her promise. And, as much as she loved her parents, Emma knew Snow couldn't keep a secret, and she was aware of a strange energy coming from Regina and David. Red was the only one she could trust with this.

The blonde treated her excursions as though they were CIA missions, and she were a secret agent. She knew when Regina was in the office, when she ate lunch, when the kids got recess- everything. It was all carefully planned out for one simple task. For the most part, she'd gone without being made.

"How are you, Emma?" Archie Hopper asked in his normal considerate tone. He sat across from his patient in his vintage chair, his legs crossed, and a yellow notepad on his lap; his hands were folded over the paper as he set his gaze on Emma. The therapist was quick to note the sheriff's fast-bouncing knee. "It's ok, you know you don't have to be nervous." Emma resisted the impulse to bite on her nails as she racked her brain for something to say. "How have you been?"

"Good," Emma responded immediately. Her eyes shifted anxiously to Archie's paper, afraid he'd write it down.

"How's everything at home?" Archie pushed his glasses up the crook of his nose smoothly as he waited for Emma's response. When the blonde said nothing, Archie poked further. "Does Regina know about our sessions?"

"No." Emma's focus fell to her fidgeting hands guiltily. "And she's not gonna. Not anytime soon. Not until we figure this out."

"'This' being whoever King George was talking about?" Archie clarified. "Have you found any new information?"

"If you're asking if I've seen Neal again, the answer is no," Emma remarked with a dull eye roll. "Regina and Gold, they've been going through a list of people from their past, and Mom and Dad."

"And there aren't any possibilities?"

"Most of their enemies are dead... but so was Cora, so that doesn't mean shit." Emma was torn. It was something she needed to talk about, to ramble about so she could think through it out loud. But, it was also a reminder of how little she could help. She hadn't lived in the Enchanted Forest. She hadn't made enemies the way most of her friends and family had. And, if she did, they were long dead- for good.

"How does that make you feel?"

Emma snorted sarcastically and stood up from the tattered couch. "No way, nuh uh. We had a deal: no psychologist cliches. Not here. I only come to vent."

"I thought you said Dr. Whale recommended therapy sessions." Archie never moved out of his chair. He was used to Emma's physical movements, her animations.

"Whatever," Emma grumbled. It wasn't exactly the truth. As she paced back and forth, her arms folded over her chest, Emma shook her head to herself. "This is all just bullshit. I should be out there helping! Not in here or at home! No one will let me do anything! They act like I'm some sorta invalid; giving me orders and instructions. If I don't do them, I get lectured. And- this is the rich part- when I do what they say, there has to be something wrong with me! It's like they forgot I was the sheriff! Hell, they don't even act like I'm the Savior anymore!"

"And what would that look like, exactly?" Archie suppressed his instinctual "therapist" tone an replaced it with one of casual interest.

"Gee, I dunno, maybe like me getting off my ass and doing some actual work! She took away my fucking badge, Archie! Mayor or not, she's also my wife! She knows how much it means for me to do my job. Now... Now I can't do anything, and I can't-"

"Protect your family?" Archie inferred. While Emma had not been a client of his for very long, she'd been a friend for nearly two decades. Even when he wasn't in doctor mode, he could read her body language. When Emma fell back onto the couch with a loud huff, Archie took his chance to say more. "Emma, you've been through a great ordeal. Your whole family has. I know it's frustrating for you, but this is going to take time. You shouldn't feel as though you're failing anyone, especially not Regina or the kids."

"I never said that," Emma growled defensively.

"You didn't have to. Emma," Archie leaned forward, "you've been the sheriff for, what, 19 years? And you've been the Savior for... well, since the curse broke. That's a lot of responsibility to carry around. I'm sure no one expects you to accept the change that easily."

"So, what? I just sit on the couch all day and watch TV while my family, including my kids, go up against whatever the hell it is?"

"You know that's not what I'm saying," Archie replied patiently. Sensing Emma's unease, Archie dropped his notepad and pen on the table and took of his therapist persona. "May I speak openly? Off the record?"

Emma shrugged uncaringly and held out a hand, "It's your office. You can do whatever you want."

Archie nodded graciously and took a deep breath. "From day one, your parents have always had our backs. And, when you came along, we all had yours, even if it was just for a moment. After you assumed your position as the Savior, perhaps we all put too much of our concerns in your hands. Then, you and Regina married and it unified the town again. What I'm trying to say is, everyone takes care of everyone, Emma. It shouldn't be on just your shoulders to worry about your family or the town's welfare. It's ok to take a break now and then."

"But look at what's already happened: Cora and Pan got to Henry and King George got to me... I wasn't even _on_ a break then! Imagine what would happen if I _was_."

Archie smiled in slight amusement, "Emma, you're already are."

* * *

Emma's session with Archie ended at one thirty. The former sheriff had more than enough time to get home and prepare herself for the rest of her family's return. Snow often offered to visit with Emma while the kids were away, but Emma assured her worried mother she was fine- that she could handle a few hours alone. Although the discussion didn't go very well, the end result was in Emma's favor.

In her time alone, other than walking aimlessly through the house and thinking, Emma worked on her own to find out who they were up against. She'd hide herself away in the study, blare David Bowie through the home, and conduct her own research. However, it wasn't research, so much as... blueprints. Emma thought it made the most sense to use Henry's book, and create flowcharts from there.

On plain, white printer paper, Emma created hasty scribbles that only made sense to her. Normally, she put one name down in the middle of the canvass and went on from there. Emma had connected every member of her family to each other at least once; either through enemies or heroes. In the end, the everyone their family had crossed, dead or alive, made it onto the paper. Although, Gold and Regina often wound up being the most prominent... antagonists. Emma would always receive the same results: nothing. Former adversaries like Ursula or Anita were either deceased or they never made it to Storybrooke. All of the mental running around was headache inducing for Emma.

99% of the time, Emma would burn or shred the papers when finished. If Regina found out she had been going back on her promise of staying away from work, Emma knew she would be toast. However, she wasn't so naive to believe she could keep it from the mayor for much longer.

* * *

It was six o'clock in the evening when Regina came home from a long day at work. Emma was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner: Regina's infamous lasagna. She'd finally been able to perfect it.

Dani, Dakota, August and Faith were all scattered throughout the house. Dani, ever the typical teenager, was in her room with her headphones in and homework on her desk. The twins were in the living room, fighting over the remote. And Faith, the biggest mommies' girl was helping Emma set the table.

Regina kept a straight face when she walked through the front doors. Emma heard the lock click, called for the kids to join them in the kitchen, and sent Faith to fetch her oldest sister. The blonde mother just set the main course down on the table when she saw Regina's taught expression.

"You ok, babe? Bad day?" Emma asked with genuine concern. She moved to kiss Regina on the cheek, but the brunette dodged the affection. "Gina, what's wrong?"

Dani and her siblings started to file into the dining room when Regina spoke. "You four, stay here. Emma, come with me." Dani gave Emma an "uh-oh" look; to which, Emma responded with a "start eating" expression. She let Regina drag her into the study and waited for her wife to tell her what was going on. "Before I ask you this, is there anything you have to say?" Regina questioned briskly. She stood by the door in her blood, read mayoral suit, arms crossed.

"Um, well, I don't know what you're going to ask, so no," Emma said, completely lost.

"There's nothing you want to tell me?" Regina asked again.

"Should there be?" The only thing Emma could think of was her sessions with Archie.

"All right then, I'm just going to be transparent. Are you sleeping with Red?"

If it was a joke, Regina wasn't laughing. Emma's jaw detached from her face and landed on the floor. "Excuse me?" she sputtered.

"Are you having an affair with Red?" Regina repeated. There tears already stung the back of her eyes as she fought to keep her composure. "Answer me, Emma!" she choked out.

"No I'm not having an affair with Red! Why the hell would you think that?" Emma snapped back. As soon as she asked, she understood.

"Well, I've been informed that Red has come to our house on more than one occasion. So help me Gods, Emma, if you are sleeping with that woman _in our home-"_

"I'm not! We're not!" Emma shouted. "You honestly think I'd cheat on you?!"

"Unless you give me solid reasons to believe otherwise." Regina's voice was hard, commanding. Emma hadn't heard her wife so angry in a very long time. Even after getting shot, Regina was more hurt than mad at Emma. "Well?!"

Emma's face turned the color of a rip tomato and she felt the heat behind her eyes. "I swear, it's not like that, Regina. I would **_never _**hurt you like that."

"Then what is it, Emma? Hm? Because from where I stand, that's exactly what it looks like!"

After pressing her face into her hands for a solid 10 seconds, Emma looked up at Regina with nothing but love and respect. She took careful several steps forward and controlled the emotions in her voice. "Red has been coming over, but it's not for that!" Emma said quickly. "She's... she's been giving me a ride somewhere."

"Where?!" Regina demanded. Emma felt her lungs contract as she inhaled deeply. In that very brief pause, Regina stomped her foot fiercely. "Dammit Emma!"

"Archie's!" Emma blurted out. "Red's been taking me to Archie's," she confessed with closed eyes.

Regina's face fell in devastation of the fresh information. That was it? Emma was going to Archie? "Wha- Archie? Why?"

Emma chewed on her bottom lip in embarrassment. She could hardly bring herself to meet Regina's eyes. "To talk," she said simply. "You remember the last check up with Whale? You walked out for a second, and he suggested I talk to someone."

"Someone other than me?" Regina questioned, instantly hurt by the phrasing.

"In a way," Emma mumbled. When Regina's glare burned a hole through Emma's forehead, her shoulders fell forward. "Ok, not really. He didn't actually say 'Talk to Archie.' He just said, 'Talk to someone.'"

"And you chose Archie over me? Your wife?" Regina was fuming. No, that wasn't a strong enough word. She was... she was contemplating using magic on Emma. Not to hurt her, though. More to... make her sit and tell the truth. If only she could have made a potion...

"Gina, it's not like that," Emma tried to say.

But, the damage had already been done. The fire in Regina's dark irises had extinguished, and just like that, the mayor was back. "Dinner's going to get cold," Regina said through gritted teeth. "The kids are waiting." She turned to reach for the doorknob, but Emma stopped her. "Emma, I love you, but right now, I don't want to be anywhere near you. I suggest you make yourself comfortable on the couch tonight." With that, Regina snatched her sleeve out of Emma's grasp and left the study. And Emma.

* * *

Dinner was tense, to say the least. All of the Swan-Mills children knew there was something wrong between their mothers. They'd heard bits and pieces before the women returned, but not enough to get the whole story. Like Henry, the rest of the kids were always curious. And, like their brother, they'd all inherited their parents' skills of deduction and observance.

Emma helped the kids with homework, per the norm, and when it came time for bed, said goodnight to them the same way. Faith and the twins were the easy ones to tuck in; Dani was the hardest. The two mothers stood awkwardly in their daughter's room, ready to kiss her head and turn the lights off.

Dani sat upright on the mattress, legs folded like a pretzel, and her purple pajamas draped loosely over her form. She had her dark, brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, and her brilliant green eyes revealed a slight amount of fear.

"Are you guys ok?" the 13 year-old wanted to know. She'd been worried about her parents since Emma'd returned home from the hospital, especially when they fought. Although their arguments weren't too often, when they happened, they were serious.

Emma and Regina stood at least four feet apart, unlike their usual embrace. "We're fine, dear," Regina answered slowly. If she even so much as blinked too fast, Dani would read into it.

"You didn't sound fine earlier," their daughter said courageously. She brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them. "You know you can tell me straight up. I'm not-"

"A little kid," Emma smiled wistfully. "We know. You say it all the time."

"I mean it all the time," Dani countered. "If... you guys are breaking up, you can tell me. I'm old enough to handle it."

Regina frowned the young woman on the bed and a piece of her heart broke off. She was utterly mortified that her and Emma's bickering gave their children cause for concern of splitting up- not to mention disappointed in herself.

"Dani," Emma sat on the bed, "your mom and I are _not_ breaking up. There is absolutely no chance of us ever being apart. I promise you that."

"Emma's right," Regina agreed quietly. She sat on the other side of Dani and put her finger under Dani's chin. "Sometimes couples argue, but that doesn't mean we're getting a divorce. No matter what happens, your mother and I are sticking to our vows."

"And we're going to do whatever we can to keep this family safe," Emma added. She and Regina exchanged a nano second of eye-contact before Regina broke away.

"Moms?" Dani's voice softened and Emma was reminded of her fragile her daughter could. Like Regina, behind her strong facade, Dani had a gentle soul. "I love you guys."

"We love you, too," Regina said. She leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on Dani's forehead. "Sleep well, my darling."

Emma kissed the top of Dani's head and beamed at her. "You're a great kid, you know that?"

"Maaaa," Dani groaned.

"Sorry, sorry. You're a great teenager," Emma amended. "Get some sleep smart-aleck."

* * *

Once all of their children was finally asleep, Emma and Regina had time alone- however brief. Emma had just started to take out a fresh pillow case and blanket from the closet when Regina stopped her.

"No couch," said Regina.

Emma paused in mid-reach, "Huh?"

"I'm not having the kids wake up to you sleeping on the couch. You'll sleep in our room, but not with me." Regina said nothing more as she disappeared into their bedroom. Emma trailed after her wife dutifully, her arms still full with linens. Regina flipped the light on and pulled the covers back on her side of the bed. With a graceful wave of her wrist, Regina conjured a baby blue cot at the foot of the bed. "There. That should be fine."

Emma stared at the small bunk, dumbstruck. "Seriously, Gina?" she groaned. "Can't we just talk about this?"

"Now you want to talk?" Regina asked in amusement. "I'm sorry dear, but you had many chances, and it's clear you didn't take them." The brunette hid herself under the plush blanket, the perfect mask.

Emma wasn't buying any of it. If she knew her wife, she knew Regina would never let it go. Her frustration would just boil until they had another fight, and Emma was getting tired of it all. There was no point in masquerading as though they were happily married, when they were obviously in a rough patch. Emma wanted to be honest.

"Ok, well, I'm taking a chance now, Gina," Emma declared. She let the bedding drop onto the floor and jumped into her side of the bed, her arms outstretched for Regina's shoulders. The mayor was quicker than Emma, though; she evaded her wife's attempts swiftly. With Regina sitting erect and her gaze on the wall, Emma took the plunge. "You wanna know why I didn't tell you about Archie? Ok, fine, here it is: I was scared. I didn't want to disappoint you... not the way I disappointed myself." Regina's eyes flicked to Emma's, and the blonde knew she had her. "Get it? I was scared, Gina." Emma tapped into what she'd learned from her sessions with Archie. The one thing he always told her was that it was all right to feel. "You've been doing so much, babe- too much. I've been feeling useless here at home. You're doing what I used to do, Gina. You get to go out and be with people... take care of them. And when you're done with that, you come home and take care of us. The kids are in school all day, you're at work, Dad's at work, Mom is... Mom. I just... I don't know where I fit into this anymore." Emma took a moment to collect her thoughts and let her heart rate slow down. "I know what I did Gina. I know that I hurt you in ways that I can't fix the way I want to. But, I need to be able to do _something_. I have feel like the sheriff again, hell, even the-"

"Savior," Regina breathed.

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "I miss being able to protect you guys. I miss feeling... in control of things. I know that sounds bad, but it's true. At home, while you're all doing stuff, I just feel... lost."

Regina heard the desire in Emma's voice, and she listened with an open heart. As she peered up at the blonde, she saw the solemn expression on her face. Regina was still hurt, and she didn't want to let go of it so quickly. "Emma, I know you miss being The One. I know how much it means to you to be able to help others and protect your family, cater to our every whim. But you have to know that you can't always do that. I didn't take your badge away to punish you, Emma. I'm not that sadistic. I took it away to protect you. That was _my_ way of doing so. I'm sorry you feel out of control, I really am, but honestly, you have to get used to it because someday, we're going to get older and we're not going to be able to do the things we used to. Yes, I'm out with people, but I'm not socializing. I'm looking for any possible suspects who could hurt our family. Your father, Snow, Gold, Belle, everyone, they're all trying to help us. Just because your badge is gone, doesn't mean you are." Emma listened intently as every word washed over her like warm water; it was comforting, yet also painful. "I told you this before, and I'll say it again: being the Savior doesn't make you invincible, Emma. For years, you took care of me, our children, and the majority of the town. I know it hasn't been easy, and I know there have been times when I left you in the dark. But that was a long time ago. I'm not just the mayor or the Queen, Emma, I'm your _wife_. And you're not just the sheriff or the Savior, but _my_ wife. Whether you like it or not, sometimes, you need saving too. I just wish you'd let me."

* * *

Emma slipped into unconsciousness that night in the fetal position, since that's the only way she fit onto the army cot. All that was missing was a stuffed animal and a pacifier. After her talk with Regina, the two felt a little lighter, though, by no means had the conflict dissolved.

Regina slept soundly in her bed, while Emma thrashed under her thin sheets. In the depths of her mind, Emma was back in Granny's Diner with David and King George. She saw the shiny, black barrel aimed for her father, and she felt her legs carry her forward. Frame by frame, Emma saw it all over again. There was nothing she could do to stop the bullet. In the blink of an eye, Emma shoved David to the floor and the small scrap of metal shot straight through her flesh, pierced her artery, and exited through her back. The stray bullet soared into the wall and all that was left was silence.

"Emma, it's all right! Wake up!" The unconscious blonde felt strong hands wrapped around her arms as her whole body shook ferociously. "Emma!" Regina's voice rang through her ears. Slowly, Emma opened her eyes and noticed the light on the bed stand was turned on. Regina sat over her, her brows furrowed as she examined her wife. The convulsing stopped, but Emma still felt the burning in her chest, her lungs out of air and her throat dry as a desert. Regina lifted the blonde off of the cot and the two sat together, leaned against the bed, Emma in Regina's hold. She noticed her shirt was soaking with sweat and gradually came to understand. "You were there again, weren't you?" Regina asked tenderly. She didn't need for Emma to answer her question, as she already knew. "It's ok, you're safe. He can't hurt you again."

Emma was overcome with a multitude of emotions: embarrassment, fright, confusion, love. They all mixed together into one large blanket that shrouded over the blonde. The nightmares she'd been having were inescapable. It didn't matter that she never mentioned them, they were always with her. She hadn't even told Archie about her sleepless nights. Through all of the reminders to her kids that things happen, Emma never listened to her own advice.

"I'm sorry," Emma gasped through strained inhales.

"Shhh, don't be," Regina comforted. She tightened her hold around her frightened wife and scooted closer. "Do you remember our first night together?" She didn't wait for a response. "Your parents had Henry, while we went to Granny's. It was our eighth date, and you made the immature comment about hitting double digits. Anyway, you ordered your regular burger and I ordered my regular salad." Regina smiled at the memory. "You wearing black pants and a maroon turtleneck. Your hair was pulled back into a ponytail. It was the first time I'd ever seen you with your hair up. And your eyes, Emma. When you talked, they sparkled. We ate and dinner ended around seven. Then, we went back to the manor and we had the whole place to ourselves. There was this moment of uncertainty between us. The way you lingered by the front door, your hands in mine. It felt as though the world was standing still, and all I saw was you. The moon landed perfectly on you the window, and lit up your face. Eventually, we made our way to the bedroom. If I recall correctly, you made the first move. Things got serious and, well, you know the rest. The next morning, when I woke up and your were next to me, I felt protected, Emma. You gave that to me; a safe haven." At this point, Emma's breathing had slowed down considerably, and the sweating ceased.

The couple sat there for a few minutes and Regina rocked her lover rhythmically. No matter how upset she had been with her wife just hours before, it had nothing to do with how much Regina loved Emma. She'd seen the way Emma's face fell when the family would leave in the mornings. She'd heard the blonde's aggravated moans at night when she was asleep. And, Regina had known how much Emma had been struggling. But, they all were. Nothing made the situation any easier, and everyone knew that. It was now Regina's turn to take care of Emma.

* * *

**A/N -** Hi! I know it's been about a week since my last posting. I had some more family issues arise that needed my attention! I missed writing for you all! "Zoemay2010" asked for a fic with Regina thinking that Emma was cheating on her with Red. I do NOT take credit for that idea! I realize this could have feasibly been a standalone story, but there's so much more going on and I thought this fit perfectly! This will be updated as soon as possible, but not as quickly as some other fics. I didn't want to post it until I knew the direction I wanted it to go in. Anyway, here it is! I hope you enjoy it! Stick around, maybe you'll see something you like :-)


	2. Part of the Pack

Several weeks after Emma's confession to Regina, she made the decision to stop seeing Archie. Of course, the doctor tried to compel Emma to stay, but she respectfully declined. Most of what she wanted to say had been said, and all she wanted to focus on was keeping her family safe. Plus, five nights on a stiff cot did affect Emma's thinking. She assured Regina that it was her own choice, as she noticed Regina's guilt.

At the beginning of December, as an early Christmas present, Regina gave Emma her badge back... except for her gun. David would be the only one armed at the station, at least, for the first couple of weeks of Emma's return. And Emma, she was so happy to be back, she didn't even care.

Her first day returning to work wasn't an easy one, but Emma was expecting that. Between her father's worried staring, and all of files that'd gotten backed up, it was an interesting day. Quiet, but interesting.

David sat behind his desk, his gun in his holster, and his focus on his daughter. "Dad," Emma said without looking at her attentive father. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" David asked innocently. He proceeded to click his pen several times in a row, a clear tell.

"You gotta stop doing that," Emma mumbled with her nose buried in papers. "I'm ok, just chill out."

"I'm chill!" David argued defensively. "All right, fine, I'll relax. Can't help it, though," he muttered.

In the midst of their bonding, the phones on Emma's and David's desks rang in unison. Emma was the first to answer. "Sheriff Swan." David noticed Emma's eyes roll and her body slump forward. "I'm fine, Gina. Doing paperwork, like you said. Yeah, ok, see you tonight. I love you, too. Bye." Emma glanced up at David, "Don't ask."

* * *

Emma arrived home exactly at five o'clock in the evening. Regina had rearranged her schedule so that she could be home when the kids got off school, and in hopes to return the house to a sense of normalcy. Before she got hurt, Emma always came home late. Since then, she hadn't gotten the chance to. This was Regina's idea of a peace offering.

The moment she walked though the front door, Emma was greeted with the scent of a hot pizza waiting for her. She didn't even have a chance to take her jacket off when Regina walked up to her with a smile, a hug, and a kiss. "Welcome home, sweetie," she whispered.

Emma held onto her wife tightly as she had missed holding Regina, instead of Regina holding Emma. "Hey, babe, what's this?"

Regina pulled away slowly from the blonde and shrugged, "Your first day back at work. I wanted to do something nice. I know your idea of nice is pizza, so..." The brunette let out a hearty chuckle. "And I wanted to apologize. You know, for calling so many times. I just wanted to-"

"Check on me, yeah, I know," Emma grinned. "It's ok, I understand. I woulda done the same thing." From the hallway, she could hear her four children around the house. "Kids! I'm home!" she called up the stairwell.

In seconds, eight feet came trampling down the steps and the Swan-Mills clan entered one by one, all in chronological order. It reminded Emma of "The Sound of Music." "Hey, Ma," Dani smiled. "Ohhh, Mom, you got pizza?" she asked as she inhaled the aroma of greasy cheese.

"Yes, but your mother gets the first slice," Regina scolded. She leaned into Emma's ear subtly, "I've got a surprise for you later on."

"I like the sound of that," Emma smirked. Before the kids could get too impatient, Emma clapped her hands together, "Ok. Who's ready to eat?"

* * *

It was one o'clock in the morning when Emma's cell phone rang. She'd put it on vibrate earlier, and it shook the whole nightstand, scaring the living daylights out of the two women. Emma groped in the darkness for her small device without bothering to turn on the light. As she curled her fingers around her phone and raised it to her ear, she was praying it was all a dream.

"Sheriff Swan," she gurgled into the speaker. "Huh? Dad?" Emma shot up into a sitting position and her eyes flew wide open. "I'll be there in ten."

"'Mma?" Regina slurred through half-conscious lips.

"Go back to sleep, Gina," Emma murmured. Through the blackness, Emma searched for something to wear; her arms were in front of her like a mummy's. "It's just Dad." She could hear Regina moving in their bed. "I got it. I'll be right back." Before Regina could object the way she normally would have, Emma snuck through the door and down the hallway. The stealthy blonde managed to clamber her way through the house without waking anyone else up- a feat she was proud of.

* * *

Emma met her father at the station in the pitch black night and saw his gun in his leather holster. He looked as though he'd been up for a while: red eyes, dark circles underneath, yet somehow still ready to fight. There wasn't any time for Emma to ask what was happening, as David ushered her to the car.

"Red called your mother about 20 minutes ago. Snow's still home with your sister. Emma, when we get there, stay behind me," David instructed authoritatively.

"What the hell's going on?!" Emma demanded. Now that she was fully awake, she wanted to know exactly why her dad had called her in the middle of the night.

David's grip hardened on the wheel as he watched the road before him. The car's headlights illuminated the trail as they accelerated through the woods. "It's hard to explain-"

"Try!" Emma was in no mood to be strung along. She was the sheriff, dammit. She had a right to know. The muscles in David's jaw twitched as he set his eyes upon their destination. Without a word, he turned off the engine, killed the lights, and got out of the car. Emma followed suit, though still confused. "Dad!"

"SHHHH!" David reprimanded. He grabbed Emma's wrists and pushed her behind him where he thought she'd be safe. "Don't say a word, don't move an inch," he ordered. With one hand, he removed his pistol and held it out in front of them. Somewhere close by, there was growling- fierce, feral growling. David tiptoed through the fallen branches and logs, concentrating on protecting his daughter and not falling.

They continued their trek until, eventually, they came across two large animals. David and Emma tilted their heads back as they observed in horror. Standing on their hind legs, their sharp, white teeth bared, and saliva spraying onto one another, were gray werewolves.

"Dad," Emma gaped in fear.

David stood in front of his daughter, his gun aimed at the wolf on the left. It was smaller than the one on the right, but its anger made up for its small stature. The snarling continued until finally, the deputy pulled the trigger. The shot rang through the entire forest, and it soon combined with the sound of desperate whining as the mythical animal fell to the ground. For reasons she didn't understand, Emma, too, staggered backwards with the bullet. Before she hit the dirt, however, Emma watched the wolf change form. With help from the bright, full moon, she was able to see the crumbled form on the frozen earth. It was a man. And he was covered in blood.

* * *

The second wolf in the fight had been Red. After she phased back into her human self, she rode with Emma and David back to the station. Her opponent had died on the scene, and after convincing from Red, they left him there. She promised to explain everything once they got back into town. And, after Emma assured her father that she was fine, it was back to business.

At David's insistence, Emma called Regina at home. The mayor was clearly confused, and half-asleep, but once she heard the urgency in Emma's voice, she hopped into action. Once she put a protection spell on their house, Regina teleported to the station and met her wife and father-in-law with a spare change of clothes.

Red was sitting in the cell with a blanket wrapped around her bare shoulders. David was on the bench beside the shaken woman and Emma stood over the two of them with her hands on her hips. Regina appeared just before Emma was going to question Red.

The brunette approached carefully, "Emma?"

"Hey," Emma breathed. "Thanks for these," she nodded as she accepted the clothes. "Red, here."

Red welcomed the fresh materials graciously, as her own had been torn to shreds. "Can you tell us what happened?" David asked gently.

Red swallowed hard and licked her lips, visibly afraid. None of the others in the room had ever seen her so helpless. "Jonathan," she mumbled. Her bottom lip began to tremble and David rested a hand on her shoulder. "I... I thought he was dead."

"Who was he?" Emma questioned in a soft tone. In that moment, she was neither the sheriff or the Savior, but a concerned friend.

Red shook her head mournfully, "He was my brother."

David cocked his head to the side, "Your brother? You never mentioned having siblings."

"He wasn't blood," Red explained. "He was in Anita's pack." Emma knew little of Red's time with Anita, other than what Snow had told her. Red never spoke much of her mother, for it brought on too much pain to remember. "I didn't know he was here."

"Red, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure what we saw back there wasn't sibling rivalry." Emma knelt down before Red and searched her friend's face. "What's going on?"

Tears trickled down Red's cheek as she wiped her running rose. "When Anita found me, she took me in. I... I met others like me... Jonathan was just a kid. 17 or 18. He couldn't control his phasing. He- his wolf was vicious; always hungry, always out to kill." She took a second to brush away the moisture on the base of her chin, all the while never looking any of the others in the eye. "Most of the pack blamed me for her death. I didn't get a chance explain. They were more... devoted to her than I was... Some of them took their own lives in solidarity... I thought Jonathan had, too. Then I heard him in the woods, and I knew it wasn't a stray. I thought if I could talk to him- I swear, I didn't know he was in Storybrooke! I-"

"Shh, it's ok," David soothed. Red fell into David's arms as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Emma stood up and leaned into Regina's ear. "Gina, you don't think..."

"That it's connected to George and Cora?" Regina completed Emma's thought. "I don't see why it wouldn't be. It can't be a coincidence." Her eyes softened as she addressed Red. "Were you able to get any information from him?"

Red managed to compose herself enough and shook her head, "No."

"Did he say anything?"

The spooked Storybrooke resident glance up slowly. "He said he was going to kill me the way I had killed Anita." Red met Emma and Regina's gaze steadily, "And that he had strict orders to end the feud."

"What feud?" Emma pushed hungrily.

Red dropped her focus to her torn clothes, "The one between good and evil."

* * *

After he hype had calmed down, David took Red home with him to Snow and Johanna. If something else was going to happen, he was going to protect Red. They couldn't say for sure that there wasn't another pack member out there.

Emma and Regina drove home in a quiet car ride. When they arrived in their driveway, they saw the light was on in the living room; the kids were awake. Dani's silhouette calmed the worried parents' nerves as they sat motionless in the warm vehicle.

"Emma, this is bad. Really, really bad," Regina breathed. "Whoever was behind the other two attacks has got to be behind this. Wasn't that the same thing George told you? That he was ordered to end the battle of good and evil?" Emma was only half-listening as she watched her children from the window. "Emma, this is spreading outside of just our family. If Red was a target, then-"

Emma narrowed her eyes and straightened her spine as she cut Regina off. "Then everyone's a target." Neither of them moved as they watched their children. "Gina, there's something I should show you."

* * *

After putting their kids back to bed, Emma guided Regina to the study downstairs. Through the whole house, it was the only room with the lights on. Without saying anything, Emma motioned for Regina to sit at the desk, while she searched for the one paper she hadn't destroyed. Regina watched her wife move meticulously and her anticipation rose exponentially.

"I lied to you before; I, uh, was working on some stuff at home," Emma admitted. "I couldn't stand sitting here all day while you and the others got shit done, so I did my own research." Emma found the folded piece of paper she'd hid under a floor board, brought it to the desk, and laid it out in front of Regina. Both women glanced down at the rushed scribbles as Emma began to explain. "I've traced our whole family to dozens of other people. You see these lines?" she pointed by their names. "The solid ones are direct connections; good ones, family ones. But these," she moved her finger to the dotted lines, "these are bad relationships, ones that resulted in burned bridges or-"

"Death," Regina said curtly. She followed the interweaving lines dutifully and recognized every single name.

"I thought if I made a visual, we'd be able to narrow it down," Emma shrugged. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before." Regina made note of how many dotted lines sprouted from her name, and decades of guilt flooded her system. The last thing she cared about was whether Emma had told her or not. "Gina?" Emma asked tentatively.

Regina traced the marks with her fingers, nothing but remorse filled her heart. "Judging by this, it looks as if Gold and I are the only plausible offenders," she murmured.

"What? No! I wasn't thinking that!" Emma rushed. "That's not why I'm showing you this."

"Then why are you?!" Regina snapped. She couldn't look at the chart any longer; too many memories, too many unhappy endings.

"Because I thought it could help!" Emma huffed. Her hands searched ardently for Henry's Book and opened it in front of Regina, her delicate fingers flipped through the aged pages. "Look, everything we know is in here; heroes, villains, whatever. Most of them of are gone, Gina; dead or living their own happily ever after without any grudges. But what about the others? What about the ones who aren't accounted for? I've gone through The Book at least 100 times, and something's missing!"

"Maybe because you're looking for something that isn't there," Regina said cooly.

"You know that's not true. I know you know that. You said it yourself, this isn't a coincidence."

"That doesn't mean it's connected to The Book, Emma!" Regina slammed her hands on the desk and pushed herself out of the chair. "Not everything is about that damn book!" As if Emma's flowcharts weren't reminders enough of the pain Regina had caused in her past. Steam rose out of her ears and her face was bright red. Even Emma was shocked at Regina's anger. When Regina noticed Emma's expression, her shoulders relaxed and her tone mellowed. "I- I'm sorry. I just... I don't think we're going to find what we're looking for with this," she lifted the old, leather-bound storybook.

"Then where are we gonna find it?" Emma challenged. "What? Do we have to wait for another attack and hope to get answers then?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Emma. But we have to be realistic. My magic has failed us before, we can't do anything definite until we know more." Regina could feel Emma's breathing on her chest and closed the space between them. "I love you, and I love you even more for doing this, even if you did lie to me about it," she teased. "But you know the saying; 'Rome wasn't built in a day.' We _will_ find whoever's behind this. And we'll do it together."


	3. An Understanding

By order of the mayor, school was cancelled the day after Red's attack. To better ensure the children's safety, Regina felt that closing school was the best answer. When the automated message was heard through the phone, a broken water pipe was the reason given. None of the parents questioned the random cancellation, but instead went about their days... with the addition of finding last minute babysitters for some.

As the Swan-Mills children slept in that morning, Regina and Emma enjoyed a short-lived moment of relaxation. The Queen laid in Emma's strong arms, her head on the Savior's chest. It was during the silence that Regina propped herself up against the headboard.

The brunette took a slow, deep breath as she absorbed her wife's radiance with the sunlight. "I've got something for you," Regina hinted. "I guess you could consider it another early Christmas gift." Emma's eyes lit up with wonder like a child's.

With one hand out, Regina conjured Emma's gun and offered it to the blonde. Emma jumped back slightly at the sudden appearance. "Whoa, Gina, careful!" Emma gasped.

"You know, I never understood this world's fascination with weapons, when it's much easier to decapitate someone with a spell," Regina pondered.

Emma grabbed at her police-issued piece and checked to make sure it was unloaded. "Well, not everyone in this world _knows _magic, babe." As if she was afraid to ask, Emma spoke in a meek voice, "What's the catch? Why are you giving it back?"

Regina rolled her eyes at the simple question. "No catch, darling. I can't very well have my wife defenseless in hostile situations, now can I?"

"Does this mean I'm off probation?" Emma asked blandly.

"You never were on it, dear."

Emma snorted, "Yeah, right."

Regina read the excitement in Emma's posture and heard it in her voice. She thought back to the previous night and the fear that had crept into her mind when she got the phone call. The last time Emma had gone with David on "police business," she'd been shot and had died. There was no more room for carelessness. Regina placed her hands on both sides of Emma's face and pulled it close. "Be careful out there, Emma. Please," she begged.

"Hey," Emma cooed. She put her gun down on the nightstand slowly and held Regina at the waist. "I learn from my mistakes, Gina. I wouldn't scare you like that again. I promise." Almost as if she'd lost track, Emma glanced over at her alarm clock. "Shit, speaking of work. I gotta go."

"Wait," Regina grabbed Emma's arm. "I... have to talk to your father about something. I won't be long, but, can you stay with the kids?"

"Gina, Dani's 13-"

"Please?" Regina pleaded. "It'll only take a moment."

Emma sensed the importance of whatever matter Regina had to discuss, and although her curiosity was killing her, Emma relented. "Sure. Go ahead. I'll be here."

* * *

While Emma monitored their sleeping family, Regina stepped into the station, not as the mayor or Queen, but as David's daughter-in-law. Since Emma's accident, the two had an energy between them that even they didn't fully understand. All they knew, all they needed to know, was that they had seen each other at their worst and lived to tell about it.

When Regina walked in, David was on the phone. His badge and gun rested on his desktop, almost as though he'd forgotten to put them on. Regina leaned against Emma's desk and waited patiently for the man to finish his business.

"Yeah, I know Leroy. I know! We're working on it. Don't tell them anything! Just wait for my word, ok? All right, bye." David slammed the phone onto its receiver with a strained groan, his other hand pinched the top of his nose.

"Everything ok?" Regina wondered.

David shrugged carelessly and stood up from behind his workspace, "The Dwarves know about last night. Leroy isn't happy."

"And not just because he's technically Grumpy?" Regina mused. When she saw David's exhausted expression, all sarcasms vanished from her tongue.

"He wants to tell the town," David grumbled.

"Obviously we can't do that. We don't know enough."

"That's what I told him. But, you know Leroy."

Regina folded her arms over her chest and nodded, "I do, yes."

David matched Regina's stance as he rested on his own desk. He gave the woman a look over before talking. "What's up? Everything ok? Is Emma all right?" he asked hurriedly.

Regina waved a hand, "Everything's fine, David. Emma's safe." She noticed his shoulders relax, suddenly realizing how her appearance and Emma's absence must have looked. "She's at home, but just for a little while. I actually wanted to talk to you."

David looked around the room as though there were others Regina could have been addressing. "Me? Uh, ok. Did I do something wrong?" he wondered with an air of amusement.

"No, no, no, it's nothing like that!" Regina assuaged. She gave David a gentle smile, "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For keeping Emma safe last night. Obviously, I'm not happy that she was there, but I'm glad that you were," Regina said genuinely. "I also," she cleared her throat, "I wanted to apologize." Now David was really lost. "I know you've been carrying a lot of guilt for what happened to Emma." As soon as he heard these words, David fought the instinct to shut down. Like his daughter, he hadn't talked much about his feelings of the accident. It was not of a Prince to show weakness. If he had a dollar for every time he'd been told so... "And, I know I apologized before about, you know, what I said in the hospital. But, I wanted to do it again. Among other things, I've learned that words can hurt... even more than physical violence."

"It's gonna take a little more than that to break me," David chided. He half-smiled at Regina in hopes of pacifying her concern.

But, she saw right through his facade. "Is it?" Regina asked honestly. "Well, I should get going. I just wanted you to know that I do appreciate what you've done. Emma and I- the whole family does." Regina broke apart from Emma's desk and moved forward slowly. In a new form of truce, she gave David an awkward hug that lasted no more than two seconds. "Try not to blame yourself too much. I know what that feels like. Whatever's going on, we'll put an end to it," she guaranteed. "All right, I'm sure Emma's ready to explode. She'll be in soon. I'd, um, be careful if I were you. Maybe lighten up on the surveillance."

David frowned, "Why's that?"

Before walking away, Regina sighed regretfully. "She's armed."

* * *

During her mother's brief absence, Dani enjoyed her time with her other mom in the kitchen. The younger kids were zombies wandering through the house as they got ready for their day. Dani, in an unusual twist of fate, was a morning person. For being a teenager, she woke up rather early.

Emma and her daughter buzzed around the open room, mixed pancake batter, and laughed as they reminisced. A light, cheerful feeling spread throughout the room. It was when Emma gave the orders to set the table that Dani summoned the courage to ask her burning question.

"Is Aunt Red ok?" Dani wanted to know. None of the kids had been told the details of what happened, only that Red was staying with their grandparents.

Emma froze momentarily at the loaded inquiry. "She will be, yeah."

"Is she, like, in danger?" Dani barreled on. She'd just finished putting plates around the table and moved on to the silverware.

The sheriff scratched her head absentmindedly, "Uh, not anymore. She's safe now."

"Are you sure?" Dani pressed.

Emma stared at her analytical offspring, a mixture of pride and annoyance swelled in her heart. She was proud of how much Dani cared for others. But, she was also annoyed at her probing questions. For a moment, Emma could picture Dani as a bounty hunter.

Unable to lie to her children, the blonde brushed the loose strands of hair out of Dani's face and answered honestly. "Right now, I'm as sure as I'm going to be."

"But, what if-"

"Dani, don't scare your siblings, ok?" Emma requested. "They're mature, but you're... you're almost an adult. Can I trust you with this?" Dani nodded hastily. "Good girl," Emma kissed the top of the young brunette's head. "Go on, your mom'll be back soon."

* * *

**A/N - **Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Thanks for the great reviews so far! In chapter one, I left an AN, but forgot to mention that the idea of Regina accusing Emma of cheating was suggested by "Zoemay2010!" While I'm glad you all enjoyed it, I can **NOT** take credit for that part! Just wanted to make sure I gave props where they're due! Anyway, more to come :-) Obviously, I'v taken some creative license, but hey- it's fanfiction ;-) Keep reading! I hope you all enjoy it!


	4. It's Personal

December progressed in Storybrooke, and for the most part, the holiday cheer enveloped the town. Warm eggnog and Christmas decorations enthralled the residents, and only smiles were exchanged on the streets. By Regina's urging, none of the group said anything of Red's attack to anyone outside of their circle. David even had to threaten Leroy to keep his mouth shut. No, it wasn't so much a threat, as a plea. Never one to deny his Prince and Snow, the leader of the Dwarves grudgingly agreed.

White caps blanketed the neighborhoods and Main Street looked like, well, a fairytale land. Bright, colorful lights were streamed along buildings, hung in trees, and shone through windows of gleeful residents. It was truly a winter wonderland.

With the kids being older, none of them believed in Santa Claus anymore. Faith, ever the open-hearted youngster, had also outgrown her idea of the jolly old man. In many ways, it was an eye opener for both parents, as they realized how fast their children were growing. The Swan-Mills brood no longer relied on mythical beings to bring them happiness, as they understood the true meaning. Of course, they loved presents, but they were slowly learning that material objects weren't synonymous with being happy.

Overall, it was a time filled with joy for Storybrooke. And, although Emma's vigilance never faltered, she couldn't deny the traditional holiday excitement that came with the territory. Even if only for a day, Emma managed to separate herself from her work and spend it with her family.

* * *

Henry and Maya arrived home Christmas Eve morning to a household of delighted family members. The very second they walked through the doors, they were attacked with hugs and kisses. Like the kids, they'd only been told bits and pieces of Red's story, and they were hoping to hear more during their visit. In fact, they were even hoping to help.

It was Maya's first Christmas with the family, but that didn't mean anything. Since Henry's rescue, she'd blended into the Swan-Mills family seamlessly. His parents were here parents, and his siblings were her siblings. While the couple had yet to decide on a date for their nuptials, the common holiday glee took the attention off of them, which they were grateful for.

The entire clan, including Red, joined together that night for a holiday meal prepared by, and none other than, Regina. It took much convincing, but she eventually accepted the assistance of Snow, David, and Emma. Gold was given strict instructions to rest during the arrangements. The cold weather, mixed with the damage to his dagger took its toll on the older wizard. It was visible, but never mentioned. His cheeks were sunken in, heavy bags gathered under his eyes, his limp had gotten worse, but his spirit never faltered.

As the lulling tunes of Frank Sinatra danced around the family, it was almost as though they'd all forgotten about every bad thing that had happened that year. Cora, Peter Pan, King George, and Jonathan were never brought up or thought of. It was as though nothing could put a damper on the evening.

The adults all sat around the dining room table, while the children sat at one all their own. Dani was the only one who'd voiced her protests, though she eventually conceded. Fortunately, they were not far from their older relatives. There was less than five feet of empty space between the two groups.

As plates and drinks were passed around, laughter and giddiness filled the air. Memories of holidays past reminded everyone of how much they loved their large, dysfunctional family. Even Gold joined in and cracked a smile here and there.

Towards the middle of the meal, Emma tapped her wine glass with her fork and rose out of her seat of the table. Murmurings and eating took a backseat as all eyes fell upon the blonde. Suddenly self-conscious, Emma felt her face heat up and was sure she looked like one of Santa's suit.

After pinching herself back to reality, Emma smiled at the faces around her. "Uh, hey, so I know I'm not exactly the best person with words, but you're gonna have to deal with it." Scattered chuckles helped relax her rapidly-beating heart. "I just wanted to say thanks for all you've done this year. I know it hasn't been the easiest," she tried not to look directly at anyone for more than a second, "but we've gotten through it. And, I know there's a lot of... weird stuff going on right now. We... we've been trying to find a needle in a haystack, and sometimes, we get angry or frustrated. If there's anything I've learned in my 20-ish years here, other than the obvious, it's that family gets through things together. And as long as we stick together, we can do whatever needs to be done. So... yeah. I propose a toast," she lifted her glass into the air, "to family."

"To family," various voices chimed together. It was the perfect moment. At least, it would have been if the ground hadn't shaken beneath them. The moment after they all raised their glass, an earth-shattering "ca-boom" rattled the walls. The overhead lights flickered on and off and a picture on the mantle fell to the floor. Everyone grabbed onto their chairs for dear life.

"What the hell?" Emma muttered when the shaking stopped. But then she saw it. Through the window, behind Snow and David, large flames leaped into the air somewhere in the distance. Smoke and ash consumed the sky, and the white flakes that resembled snow landed upon the frozen ground. Everyone crowded by the clear glass to get a better look, but Emma had already thrown on her winter coat. "Dad!" David was one step behind his daughter and searched for his absent gun.

"Emma!" Regina stopped her wife before she exited their home.

"Gina, you know I gotta go!" Emma saw the pure fear in Regina's dark, brown eyes.

"Not alone. I'm coming with you!" Regina declared. She reached behind Emma for her black trench coat and thrust her arms into it.

David waited impatiently at the door, "Emma!" Sirens were already blaring throughout the neighborhood as they all stood there in debate.

Emma peered at her father over her shoulder and then back at Regina. "I'm not losing you again," the brunette said.

Time was ticking away in Emma's mind as she racked her brain. "Fine! You guys," she addressed the rest of the family, "stay here! Don't do anything until we get back!"

Red shoved her way forward until she made her way up to David. "I'm coming too." Emma gave her a curt nod before pulling Regina behind her and out the door. The last image the Queen and the Savior had before disappearing, was their children's terrified expressions.

* * *

Regina teleported all four of them to the scene of the crime, and they immediately covered their faces. Blinding orange and yellow flames bit the hands that tried to extinguish it, and cringe-worth crackling came from the burning building. David and Emma tried to shield the other two from the violent heat, but it was no use.

Frantic firefighters worked tirelessly to put out the vicious inferno, but to no avail. No matter how much water they used, the fire never died down. Their efforts were meaningless as the store was engulfed in flames.

As the father-daughter duo kept their arms over their loved ones, Regina managed to duck under Emma and approach the dancing flares. "Gina!" Emma shouted.

The brunette had had enough of watching the mundane endeavor to douse the fire, and assumed responsibility of her town. Regina raised her hands in the air, closed her eyes, and blocked out the hectic screams from horrified bystanders. When she opened her eyes once again, Gold's Pawn Shop had rid itself of the hungry blazes. "There," she breathed.

The firefighters turned their hoses off and Emma grabbed each side of Regina's face. "Jesus Christ, are you trying to scare the hell outta me?!"

"Now you know how I feel when you do crazy things," Regina whispered.

Emma searched Regina's earnest face before David cleared his throat. "Just don't do that again," she begged. She didn't give Regina time to respond, as she walked towards the charred structure.

"What the hell happened?" David asked no one in particular.

The three women shook their heads simultaneously, all in shock. Glass had been shattered and spread across the wooden floorboards. The door was gone, ripped apart from its hinges. Smoke was still coming off of the metal screws in the doorway.

Most, if not all of Gold's trinkets had been destroyed. The wooden puppets' faces were singed off, his counter was covered in black soot, and the walls were scorched. Emma was already sweating from the heat of it all. In 18 degree weather, that was a feat unimaginable.

Regina knelt down on the floor and carefully brushed away some ashes. Underneath it all was Belle's cup. With tender hands, Regina picked it up, never minding the intense heat. The small, chipped teacup had seen better days, yet somehow remained unscathed from its most recent trauma. "Emma," she beckoned.

The sheriff twisted her form to look Regina and her eyes met the small dish. Emma put on her commanding voice, "Guys, look for anything that's still in one piece, anything we can salvage."

The adults moved soundlessly and cautiously through the ravaged room. Emma inspected the walls meticulously and searched for any signs of the fire-starter. Normally, that task would fall under the fire department's duties, but Emma was on a mission of her own. She found it intriguing that Gold's Shop hadn't burned down completely, but instead, remained standing. The fact that the aged store was the only one affected by the flames, as if they were contained just for Gold's Shop, baffled Emma.

"Emma," the blonde heard David call for her. Through the haze of the cinders, Emma stumbled her way into Gold's office. David stood with his back to her, his hands on his hips and his head tilted backwards slightly. He didn't even look at Emma when she appeared next to him.

Emma followed his gaze until she saw what he was staring at. Written in the dust on the ceiling was, "Your move."

* * *

After closing off Gold's Shop with "Crime Scene" tape, and getting the firefighters to maintain watch, the gang returned home to their worried family members. Snow and Johanna flocked to David instantly, and Emma and Regina were ambushed by their kids. Hundreds of questions were asked of the tired quartet, until finally, Emma called for a meeting in the living room. The plates on the table were exactly as they had left them: half-empty.

During a moment of painful silence, Emma examined the room and everyone in it. She laid her eyes upon the aging wizard and squatted in front of him. "I'm sorry, Gold, but your shop... The fire... It didn't make it." Snow and Belle gasped in chorus as Gold dropped his face into his hands. Emma glanced up at Regina; the woman approached the sitting man, and offered the small glass. "This was the only thing that made it," Emma sighed. Belle lifted the object and held it close to her heart, as Gold's narrowed gaze rested on his cane. Emma stood tall once again, "We have to know... was your dagger-"

"It wasn't in the shop," Gold finished the sentence. His voice was filled with a mixture of bitterness and bereavement.

Emma backed up, stood by the fireplace, and her heart sank with what she was about to say. "I probably don't have to tell you, but... this wasn't an accident. Someone did this. There was a message on the wall, in Gold's office. We think whoever left it is the one pulling the strings."

"What'd the message say?" Snow asked anxiously. Her arms were draped over Johanna's shoulders as she held her daughter with the hyper-vigilance only a mother could possess.

David stepped in for his daughter, his jaw set tight. "It said, 'Your move.'"

"Gold?" Emma questioned in a hush tone. The graying man looked lightyears away as he stared at the fire in the stone chimney. He almost seemed frozen in time. "Gold?" Emma tried again. "Do you anyone who would do this? Any bad deals lately?"

"You're not saying this is his fault, are you?" Belle accused sharply.

"No, of course not. We just have to rule out the obvious," Emma said mindfully. She turned back to Gold, "Has anyone said anything to you?" Rumplestiltskin shook his head in a daze, his hand twisted the handle of his walking stick.

Emma wished someone else would say something, as there was nothing else she could think of. All of the adults and the children in the room shared the same concerned frowns, and Emma could feel their anxiety emanating from their bodies. Eventually, her focus shifted to her oldest son.

Henry held onto Maya's hand comfortingly and he could hear her quickened heart rate. "Ma," he said firmly. "What do we need to do?"

* * *

Christmas day arrived, and it was treated like any other. Everyone's holiday gaiety had vanished the moment they'd seen the ashes falling from the sky the night before. To them, there was nothing to celebrate.

Emma and Regina tried to recreate the feelings of excitement as the kids came down to the tree that morning. Although, at their children's requests, they didn't open the presents. Instead, the Swan-Mills tribe wanted to spread kindness another way: cleaning up Gold's shop. Impressed with their kid's pure hearts, the parents had no choice but to follow through.

At 10 o'clock that morning, Emma, Regina and the kids, including Henry and Maya, appeared on Gold's doorstep. With brooms, trashcans, and plenty of glass cleaner, the family waited for a signal to enter.

Gold sat behind his broken counter and looked genuinely surprised at the family's arrival. "Come now, dearies. Don't tell me your spending your Christmas here?" Belle came out from the back room and stood beside her husband, confusion written on her face.

"Christmas is about family. Where else would we be?" Henry asked with a smirk.

"No, no way. I won't allow it," Gold protested. "I'll not have you feel obligated to work on this joyous day."

"Grandpa," Henry grinned. He leaned in over the bar and spoke in Gold's ear. "Between you and me, you're losing it. There's eight of us, and one of you. You do the math." Without further delay, Henry and Maya started sweeping up the blackened remains from the floor, while his siblings followed suit.

As their kids dispersed through the store, Regina migrated to the broken windows. Just as she was about to wave a hand over the glass, Emma sprinted towards her and caught her wrist. "Uh, Gina?"

"Yes, dear?" Regina wasn't paying much attention to her wife. Her concentration was on fixing what needed to be mended.

Afraid of Regina's reaction, Emma took a breath and blurted it out. "Maybe you should hold back on the magic..."

Slowly, and eerily, Regina craned her neck and met Emma's eyes. "Excuse me?"

Emma bit her bottom lip nervously and she could hear the background voices lower. "I just, uh, you've been using it a lot lately... A little break wouldn't be bad, right?"

The seconds ticked on into, what felt like, hours. Dani overhead the entire conversation and cut in before her blonde mother got an earful from her brunette one. "I got this, Mom," she nodded swiftly. She raced around them gracefully and took her position. Thanks to four years of practice, Dani effortlessly repaired the shattered windows. The glass floated off of the ground and flew to their previous home as though they were being pulled magnetically. Like puzzle pieces, the shards fit together flawlessly. "See?" Dani asked lightly. "All good!"

"Yes, very nice, thank you," Regina muttered distractedly. "Emma, dear, what exactly did you mean, 'A break wouldn't be bad?'"

_Shit,_ Emma thought to herself. When she glanced at the kids, they knew they'd been caught eavesdropping and resumed working immediately. "Nothing, Gina, I just thought-"

"What? That magic would corrupt me again?" Regina inquired heatedly. The vein in her forehead was throbbing and her voice dropped an octave. That was never a good sign.

"That's not what I said-"

"It's what you were thinking, wasn't it?"

Gold limped over quickly and interrupted the women's spat. "Ladies, please, not in front of the wee ones." Again, when their mothers looked at them, the kids went back to working.

Regina inhaled slowly and counted to 10 in her head, a trick she'd learned from Emma. She brushed the dangling strand of dark hair out of her eyes and glued on a smile. "Of course. Thank you, Gold. If you'll excuse me," she said crisply before walking away.

Emma was left embarrassed and annoyed, both at herself and Regina. She tried desperately not to look at Gold, but it was too late. She saw the pity he was giving her. In an attempt to escape, Emma changed the subject. "Did you find anything else? Anything not turned to shit?"

"Your concern is appreciated, dearie, but you needn't worry yourself about this." Gold was deflecting and Emma knew it.

"Actually, since I'm the sheriff, I kinda do. I gotta know if there's a chance anyone else's property will get blown up."

"Well, I can assure you, it won't. You were right last night; this wasn't an accident. It was personal." Gold gently kicked the dust off of a fallen artifact on the floor and slowly bent down to retrieve it. It was Neal's knife. Emma had given it to Gold after she'd woken up from her coma. She'd felt as though she'd received her closure with Neal and knew Gold never had. "After 17 years..." Gold trailed off quietly. Instead, he chose another thought to verbalize. "It's amazing how many emotions one object can possess, isn't it?"

In that moment, Emma saw the man Gold had once been before becoming the Dark One, and the man he had became after Neverland. When they'd returned all those years ago, no one ever doubted Gold's love for Henry. The wizard had fought valiantly to save his only grandson, and lost his only son in the process. Nothing but respect was given to the man who'd risked it all.

"Gold, I-"

Rumplestiltskin knew what Emma was going to say. And, as much as he truly appreciated her kindness, he still hadn't learned to accept it from anyone other than Belle. Gold wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the metal weapon, and for a second, he could feel Neal with him. "Never mind it, dearie. Come, if you're truly here to work, there's plenty to do."

* * *

In a matter of four hours, Gold's Pawn Shop was back to its former glory- with the exception of damaged/unaccounted for antiques. If anything, though, he was more worried about how the owners of those objects would feel when they came to his store and noticed they were gone. Belle called it his human side; Gold called it natural curiosity.

The Swan-Mills family arrived home, and the kids still weren't interested in the gifts under their heavily-decorated tree. To be fair, Faith was dying to know what was wrapped in the presents, but she followed her older siblings and feigned apathy.

Regina had been the first one through the door, and she'd made a bee-line for the study. It was clear to Emma that her wife was still angry with her, and as much as she wanted to make it better, she knew better than to bum-rush the mayor. Instead, Emma put on a kettle for hot chocolate and sat alone at dining room table. Correction: she _was_ alone, until her eldest daughter took the chair next to her.

"Ma?" Dani followed her mother's line of sight until she saw what Emma was staring intently at; outside, white flakes drifted in the air and piled onto the window sill. Condensation gathered over the glass, but the snow was still visible. For Emma, it provided a comfortable area to zone out in. "Ma?" Dani asked again. This time, she tapped the woman on the shoulder to get her attention. Emma gradually faced her daughter, her mind still miles away. "The water," Dani mumbled.

As though a bolt of lightening had truck her, Emma jumped out of her chair and ran towards the howling kettle. She grabbed at the handle foolishly, and dropped it when she burned her hand. "Dammit!" The metal pot clanged on the wooden floor and scalding hot water spilled out of it. Dani started to get up when Emma shouted, "Don't!" Her alarmed offspring froze instantly as she watched her mother fall apart.

Emma stepped over the boiling pond, to the sink, and ran her injured limb under cold water. At some point, Dani stopped caring about Emma's anger and started caring about her pain. Silently, she strode to the kitchen counter and steadied the blonde's wrist under the waterfall. "I can heal that for you, Ma," she offered.

"No, 's fine," Emma grumbled. "Thanks."

While the two stood there stiffly, Dani saw Emma's hand turn bright pink. "Really, Ma, it'll only take a second."

"I said no!" Dani jumped at her mother's sudden outburst and she let go of Emma's wrist. "Shit, Dani," Emma sighed, "I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to yell." But the hurt was already there, and Emma saw it in Dani's eyes- Regina's eyes. "I fucked up today, didn't I?" she asked quietly. If Regina had been there, Emma would've gotten a lecture about her language. "With the magic comment?"

Dani brushed off Emma's discontent and followed the direction of the conversation. "It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say." The was as tactful as Dani could muster under the strained circumstances. "You know Mom; she'll be mad but then she'll forgive you."

"Only if I apologize first," Emma added. As she leaned against the marble counter, she noted the way her daughter was growing. She still had a hard time believing Henry was engaged, let alone an adult. Now she had to watch the rest of her kids grow up. "Can I ask you something?"

Dani shifted nervously, "Uh, yeah, sure."

"Do you... do you ever feel like, I dunno, we put too much pressure on you?"

"Um, I'm confused... Sorry."

Emma smiled at her innocent child, the memory of the dream she'd had 15 years ago replayed in her mind. "I mean, do you ever feel like this is too much? Like we put too much of our problems in your lap?"

Dani stuffed her hands into her pockets and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Honestly?"

"Please," Emma nodded.

"Yeah, I guess. Sometimes... sometimes I wish things were normal... But, that doesn't mean I can't handle it," Dani amended quickly.

Emma beamed at the mature, young woman in front of her. But, part of her heart broke as she listened to what she had to say. The fact that Dani though she had to handle anything saddened the woman. Emma approached Dani slowly, and her daughter let her. Dani was almost as tall as Emma. "You know your mom and I love you, right?" Dani nodded soberly. "I'm sorry that everything's messed up right now, but I promise you, we're gonna fix it. Your mom and I, we're going to make everything ok."

"It's not your fault, Ma. It's not like you did anything wrong. Sometimes things just happen."

A lump lodged itself in Emma's throat as she heard her own words repeated to her. Overcome with pride, Emma wrapped her arms around Dani and held on for as long as she could. "How did we get such a smart kid?"

Dani smiled in her mom's shoulder, "Magic."

* * *

Before dinner was served, there was one thing Emma wanted to do. While the kids filed into the kitchen and found their seats, Emma ducked out and drifted to the study where she found Regina in her chair, head tilted back slightly; the woman was asleep. And Regina never slept in the office.

Emma tiptoed through the room and towards her unconscious wife when she saw what Regina had been working on. It was a book. Not just any book, though. The Book. It was opened to a page with Regina as the Evil Queen as she crashed Snow and Charming's wedding. The caption under the picture read, _"I shall destroy your happiness... If it the last thing I do."_

When Henry was younger, he insisted Emma read the book with him- either as a bedtime story, or just because. She'd flipped through the old pages many times before, until eventually, she'd begun to memorize them word for word. However, she often skipped parts with the Evil Queen. For Emma, it was because she hated seeing Regina in so much pain. Yes, that was how Emma interpreted her wife's story: pain. She never saw The Queen as evil- and she'd told Regina this-but more misunderstood. There were always two sides to everyone's story, and The Book missed a lot of Regina's side.

As quietly as she could, Emma closed The Book and knelt down next to Regina, her hand outstretched for Regina's arm. "Gina?" she whispered. The Queen stirred somewhat until she came back to reality. Her dark eyes peered down at The Savior. "Time for dinner," Emma said.

Regina glanced at her watch and gasped as she realized she'd been asleep for quite some time; three hours to be exact. "I must have dozed off," she thought aloud.

"Yeah, just a little," Emma teased. She stood up in front of her wife and helped her out of the chair. Regina leaned on Emma for support before she remembered she was mad at her. Once she did, she let go of Emma's and put extra space between them. "Ah, come on, Gina."

"No, I don't want to hear it," Regina pushed past the sheriff.

"You know I didn't mean it."

Regina stopped as she was about to open the door. "What I_ know_ is that our children are waiting for us. We can settle this matter later." She was halfway through out of the room when she stopped again. "Oh, and Emma, dear? You're sleeping on the cot tonight."

* * *

**A/N **- Oh my Gods, last night's episode was FULL of feels! Haha, I still can't over Lana's acting! Anyway, here's another little bit for ya! I'm sorry of there are some typos. I promise, I proofread everything I write (and I try to fix them ASAP), but I just read really fast! It's a bad habit that I'm working on. Your patience is greatly appreciated. I know there's a lot going on in this story- Emma/Regina, the new villain, the kids, etc- and I'm sorry if it seems like too much, but it'll all make sense later, I swear! Thanks for the great reviews so far! I love writing for you, dearies! Stay tuned for more ;-)


	5. Pulling Rank

Emma woke up the next morning with a wicked backache. She had to physically force herself to sit up and buried her knuckles deep in the pockets of the cot. As she did so, however, the image in front of her eyes flickered like a disco ball and Emma felt a rush through her head. Regina wasn't in the room to ask for assistance, and even if she had been, Emma had a feeling her wife would have been less than accommodating. Considering Emma's comment the previous day, the blonde didn't blame Regina. She knew she would have held a grudge if she were on the opposite end.

In hopes that the room would stop spinning, Emma waited before standing up. The last thing she needed was to trip on her own feet. She was the sheriff; she had a job to do. With an angry Regina running the town, who knew what could happen. After Emma caught her bearings, her day had officially begun.

* * *

Emma met David at his desk that morning; the dawn of a new week landed on her like a pile of cinder blocks. Bricks were too light. Cinder blocks packed more of a punch.

The blonde stumbled into the station, still half-conscious, and David could have sworn she looked drunk. "Uh, Em?"

"Hm?" she grumbled through slightly closed eyes.

"You ok?" the concerned father wanted to know. He rushed to her side and just caught her before she tumbled over the trash bin. "Lemme guess, another fight?"

"It's not a guess if someone told you," Emma pouted. She pawed at the hands of her overing dad as he helped her into her chair. The blinding white lights above her weren't exactly helping matters at the moment.

"Who said anyone told me?" David countered, obviously offended. Emma managed to open her eyes just enough to give her dad the "Really?" look. "All right, fine, Dani texted me," he relented. He watched as Emma slumped over her desk dramatically and shielded her face from the overhead glow. "I am _not_ working with a zombie. Come on, let's get some coffee." David practically had to lift Emma out of her chair and carry her to the door.

* * *

The sheriff and her deputy skipped across the street to Granny's Diner. Emma hadn't been in since that day and she hadn't realized just how anxious seeing the restaurant made her. It wasn't like her to be afraid, especially not of a building. Nevertheless, Emma stood, petrified like a statue.

"Dad, I think I'll wait out here. You mind grabbing me a cup?"

David looked back at his daughter curiously and then at the door. That's when it hit him. "Sure," he said. "I'll be back in a sec." Emma gave him a gracious nod as David jogged up the steps. There was no one else at the picnic tables, so Emma jumped at the chance to occupy one.

She always loved being outside, specifically in Storybrooke. Among other things, it was one of life simplest gifts that she savored. When she lived in Boston, it was a cold, unwelcoming neighborhood. No one knew her name, not even her neighbors. But in Storybrooke, everyone knew everyone. Emma could wave at someone she hadn't talked to in weeks, and they'd still return the gesture.

Although it was cold, Emma basked in the little bit of sunlight that peeked through the clouds. The warm rays beat down on Emma's face, and though her eyes were closed, she pushed past the slight pain and enjoyed the friendly visit.

"Emma," a familiar voice greeted.

The sheriff heard metal tags jingle together and knew it could only be one person. "Hey, Archie," she said without looking at him. Footsteps scuffled around her and she figured Archie was at the table.

"How've you been?" the therapist asked innocently.

"Same as always," Emma fibbed.

"Uh huh." Archie wasn't a fool. He knew there was more behind "Same as always." "It's a shame about Gold's Shop."

"Yeah, it's crazy the things people will do. But, we're looking into now."

"You're not working too hard, are you?"

Emma sighed heavily and faced the direction Archie's voice was coming in. "Archie, I'm ok. This isn't a session. We're in public."

"Yes, you're right. My apologies." The wooden bench beneath him creaked loudly as he got up. "Well, my door is always open if you need anything," he reminded kindly. "Have nice day, Sheriff Swan."

Emma folded her arms over the table and laid her head on top as she listened to many noises of Main Street. Bells in doors rang every time someone opened them, laughter broke the sound barrier, car doors opened and closed, and Pongo was off somewhere nearby. Another bell chimed, only this one came from behind Emma.

"Two cups of extra caffeinated coffee," David announced. Emma showed no sign that she'd heard her father. "Emma?"

Prince Charming's daughter snapped her head up and opened her eyes- a big mistake. "Gah," she moaned in agony.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Emma waved off. "I'm good. Thanks for this," she said as she accepted the styrofoam container. "You ready?" As Emma stood up, everything flashed black and white. The street went from being populated and joyful, to empty with only one other person. "Neal?" Emma muttered. That's when it happened. Emma's knees buckled and she felt her body pull her to the ground.

* * *

"Emma?" a strong voice willed her. "Emma?"

The Savior's eyelids fluttered as she steadily came back to consciousness. When she did, she instantly regretted it. Emma lifted her head up carefully and scanned the space around her. David lingered over the fallen woman, his hand under her head for support.

"Shit," Emma breathed as she sat herself up; another decision she wished she hadn't made. A dozen worried townspeople crowded over her, and she yearned for a shell to hide in. David blocked his daughter from the morbidly curious onlookers as Emma wrestled with the ground to get up. This time, she latched onto David's arm for support and didn't let go. The anxious deputy examined his adult daughter the way he'd missed out on for 28 years. He checked her eyes, the back of her head for any scrapes or bumps, the cuff of her jeans where the coffee splashed on them, everything. "Dad, I'm good," Emma whispered embarrassedly. "Just slipped on some ice," she told the spectators. When no one moved, Emma rolled her eyes. "Regina," was all she said. That did it. The various residents of Storybrooke fled the scene. Although Regina wasn't the Evil Queen anymore, like Red, there was still some trepidation among the other inhabitants.

As the audience members dispersed, David held onto Emma's shoulders. "What was that?" he asked none-too gently.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Emma bluffed.

"People don't just collapse, Emma. Something happened."

Emma looked everywhere but at David, yet still felt the heat of his gaze. "Just got a little dizzy is all. It's really nothing. We gotta get to work," she said as she started to leave. But David caught her hand. "Daaad," she whined.

"I'll make a deal with you," David proposed.

This got Emma's attention and she turned back around. "Last time I checked, Gold was the dealmaker."

David overlooked Emma's sarcasm and proceeded with his own idea. "We get back to the station and you call Regina, let her know what happened. Then you run the show. But, if you don't call her, you give me your gun."

"What the hell? That's not a deal, that's an ultimatum!" Emma barked.

The brown-haired man shrugged, "Call it what you want, but that's the only way you're getting through the day."

"I'm the sheriff, you can't just take my only protection." The very thought of telling Regina that Emma had a moment of weakness, right in the middle of their fight, made Emma even woozier. Then again, if she didn't own up to it, that meant another lie between herself and her wife... and no gun.

"And I'm your father," David retaliated. "When it comes to the well-being of my daughter, I can do whatever needs to be done. Now, are you gonna call Regina? Or should I?" He raised his hands and tipped them as though he were a scale balancing two objects. "Dog house, or gun?" he pondered.

"Dammit," Emma griped. "This is so not ok." The blonde broke away from David and made long strides towards the station, already cringing at Regina's reception. In one, quick movement, Emma ripped the door open and stomped to her desk. The buttons crunched under Emma's fingers as she held the phone to her ear and waited for the dial tone. David sauntered in just as the other end of the line picked up. "Gina? I know you're still pissed, but there's something I gotta tell you. I passed out for, like, a minute but I'm ok. David's here. All right. Bye." She slammed the phone back on the receiver.

"How do I know that was really her?" David wondered skeptically. Just then, his own device rang. He read the name on the incoming call and answered slowly. "Hello?" David immediately had to hold the phone three feet away from his ear while Regina shouted through the speaker.

Emma caught bits and pieces, like, "What happened?! Where are you?! What did you do?!"

Enough was enough, and Emma snatched David's phone out of his hands. "Gina, I'm fine. Dad didn't do anything. I'll talk to you later." Again, Emma ended the conversation with her irate spouse.

"You realize that, right there, is probably gonna get us killed, right?" David asked.

"Hey, you said to call her," Emma retorted.

"I didn't say to hang up on her!" David cried. "I don't even have a will!"

"Ha ha, very funny. Can we just get back to work?" Emma plopped herself into her chair and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She got less than a minute of silence when she heard a familiar whooshing sound in the room. "Hi, Gina," she greeted blandly.

"Does someone mind explaining to me just what in the hell happened?!" Regina demanded angrily. Her eyes pleaded with the two, but Emma remained silent. "No one?"

David glared at Emma and pressured her to come clean. The sheriff almost made it without saying anything, until her conscience got the better of her. "I fainted, ok? I wasn't down long and no one hurt me. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?! Emma?!" Regina huffed. The brunette stared at her wife and longed for a magical solution. Then she remembered she was mayor. There was a political solution. "Very well. As of this moment, David is the sheriff, and you," she addressed Emma, "are his deputy." She marched up to Emma and held a hand out. "Your badge."

Emma glanced up slowly in disbelief. "If this is a joke, Gina, it's not funny."

"Nothing about this is funny, Emma. Your badge," Regina repeated crisply.

"No! Hell no!" Emma resisted, but it was too late. Regina conjured Emma's badge with magic and held it out to David. "Regina!" Emma roared as she pushed herself out of the chair. "You can't do that!"

"I just did. Congratulations, David. You have succeeded your daughter," Regina informed. She took David's deputy badge and tossed it onto Emma's desk. "We'll talk about this later." With that, Regina was gone in the blink of an eye, and all that remained was purple smoke.

* * *

Emma needed to get out. She needed to go somewhere no one would stare at her, where no one would treat her like a child, and where no one would judge her. The lake was frozen and the air was too cold to stand at the shore. The only place Emma could think of was the cemetery.

Ice had frozen over the metal plaque and covered the man's name; the words, _"Baelfire 'Neal' Cassady. Father, son, friend, family-man," _were just barely visible. Emma hadn't visited his headstone in a very long time, longer than she'd care to admit. And, after seeing him in limbo, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She'd been able to tell him all that she wanted, and there was nothing left that had gone unsaid. She'd made her peace.

This day, however, Emma wasn't there to tell family stories or reminisce. No, she was there to vent. Archie was a great guy and all, but Emma hated being watched when she was angry. After everything, after she'd woken up, every move she made was monitored somehow and she was sick of it all. She just needed... she needed to be alone.

Emma knelt down on one knee before Neal's marker, and for a brief moment, forgot what she wanted to say. "I'm sorry it's been so long," she said. "I... I didn't know where else to go." Emma felt a cold tear falls down the side of her face and hastily brushed it away. With a heavy sigh, Emma pulled herself together and it all come flying out. "Gina took my badge. My badge! Ugh!" she shook her head. "She pulled rank on me! We promised we'd never do that! Now, I'm the fucking deputy! Can you believe that? My own father, as if he didn't already have power as Prince Charming, is my boss! Jesus Christ. Saying that out loud, my father is Prince Charming and my mother is Snow White, I can just hear the crazy." Like her son, Emma tried to trace the letters that weren't buried beneath frost. "Ok, I... I guess I can't be too pissed. I mean, if Regina had passed out, I'd have done the same thing... minus the purple smoke. That was too much. And I know I can't really hold it against her, I did mess up pretty bad yesterday. I think it only made things worse. But, shit. I _just_ got my life back. And now..."

"Now what?" a gentle voice asked.

Emma fell onto the ground at the sudden company, but what surprised her most was who was standing behind her. "Neal?"

The kind-faced man smiled at Emma through the falling snow, "Welcome back."

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit," Emma repeated to herself. She refused to look back at the phantom, "Please, for Christ's sake, tell me I'm not dead and I'm not in a coma."

"You're not dead, and you're not in a coma," Neal assured cheerfully. He walked up to Emma and squatted down in front of her.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought- I thought I could only see you in limbo!" Emma piped nervously. Hey, it wasn't everyday a person sees their dead former flame, especially not twice in a lifetime.

"So did I," Neal agreed. He gave Emma his signature grin, "I guess you're more powerful than you knew."

Emma felt her jeans getting cold the longer she sat on the ground, but she was too frightened to move. "I got home, ok? Why are you here?"

Neal shrugged carelessly, "Does it matter?"

"Yeah it freakin' matters!" Emma shrieked. "In case you forgot, my family's in danger! I can't just have random ghosts appearing outta nowhere!"

"Ouch. Now I'm a random ghost?" Neal joked.

Emma used all the strength she had to get herself off of the frigid ground. Neal offered to help her, but Emma refused. With a bit of paranoia, she scanned the land around them for anyone else who might be lurking. "You have to go. You can't be here."

"You know that's not how it works, Emma," Neal chided.

"I don't give a flying fuck how it works, Neal. You. Cannot. Be here. Not now."

"I'm here for a reason. Maybe this is why," he suggested. "Maybe you need help protecting your family."

"I don't need help!" Emma bellowed furiously.

"You sure about that?" Neal raised an eyebrow. "Ok, calm down for a minute and think. Look around you. You're awake, Emma. That means you can see me without being unconscious. I can help you. I can help your family."

Emma shifted her weight from one foot to another as she looked at Neal with hesitation. "Why? Why would you do that?"

Neal matched Emma's serious tone, "Because... I don't think I can leave until I do."

* * *

Regina checked out of the office early that afternoon and decided to go home. Her emotions were on overdrive after her last interaction with Emma. She wasn't been proud or satisfied with what she had done, but she hadn't seen any other way. Emma obviously didn't want to tell her about her incident, and Regina had a feeling David used his parental leverage on her wife. And, as much as she appreciated hearing it from Emma's mouth, she would much rather it been the blonde's own decision, not under a coercion.

The children were still in school a little after one o'clock. That meant Regina had the house all to herself. It was lonely, yes, though also somewhat peaceful. She'd tried calling Emma on her cell, but she never got an answer. It was just Regina in their big, empty home.

After making herself a nice, hot cup of apple cider, Regina curled up in the arm chair of their study. The welcome heat blasted through the vent right next to her feet, and that alone eased some of the tension. Certain that she was truly alone, Regina had The Book opened in her lap.

She held the warm mug to her chest as she flipped through the thin pages. Regina skimmed the stories Henry knew by heart, and every different picture reminded her of the life she once had; shame, embarrassment, and sorrow were all visible in the painted image of the Evil Queen. In contrast to her life now, Regina hardly recognized the woman in the drawings.

The further she got in The Book, the more acquaintances she stumbled upon. Eventually, she got to a part in Rumplestiltskin's story. She'd just read about Rumple's transformation into the Dark One and the broken deal with Baelfire. As she ran her hand over the printed words, Regina noticed something she hadn't seen before. At least, she didn't remember it. Between the two pages, in the gutter, a frayed edge stuck out slightly. Regina sat up straighter and held The Book closer to the lamp beside her, her cup of tea set on the stand. The more she examined the mysterious lining, the more she recognized what it was. There was a page missing out of Rumplestiltskin's story. Someone had ripped it out.

* * *

**A/N - **Hi! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I proof-read this one, but like I mentioned before, sometimes I miss typos. Sorry! Again, I took some creative license, I know. If you're wondering why, you'll just have to stick around to find out more ;-) Thanks for the sweet reviews! They are greatly appreciated! Oh, and if you're worried about our beloved SwanQueen, don't be! I'd never break them up ;-) Hang tight, and keep reading! Thanks, dearies!


	6. An Honorable Family

The day after their revelations/visitations, Regina's brain was stuck on the missing page in The Book, and Emma's was stuck on Neal. Of course, neither of them brought up either topic to one another. In fact, she and Regina barely shared two words, even at the dinner table. They talked to the kids, asked how their day was, if they had any homework, etc. However, the two women never actually engaged in a conversation of their own. And, that night, Emma slept on the cot.

The next morning began like the previous one: Emma woke up with a crick in her neck, and Regina had already gone to drop the kids off at school. Since she was now the deputy, Emma's work was less pressing. David wouldn't care if she came in late, and to be honest, she was in no mood to be around her father. In Emma's eyes, he was the reason she'd gotten demoted.

Although her family was gone, Emma wasn't alone. Not exactly. When she walked out of the bathroom after her shower, the normally fearless woman leapt into the air at the sudden sight of Neal sitting on the bed. "Jesus Christ! What the hell?!" she wailed as she tightened the beige towel around her body.

Neal chuckled and looked away politely, "Guess I should've knocked first."

Emma desperately clung to the material, both of her fists grasped the ends. "You can _not_ pop up out of fucking nowhere like that!"

"Sorry, sorry. Didn't realize you're so big on privacy," he defended.

Out of ideas, Emma ran behind the bathroom door and peeked her head out enough to keep an eye on Neal. "And I didn't realize you forgot your damn manners! You're dead, not an amnesiac."

Momentary hurt flashed in Neal's eyes at Emma's strong choice of words. The brown-haired man sighed loudly and planted his feet on the floor. "Uh, ok I'm just gonna wait downstairs. You, uh, take your time." Emma watched in awe as Neal faded out of the room as though his dimmer switch had turned on.

* * *

It wasn't the best trip to work for Regina. Every time she stepped outside, she was brutalized by the freezing wind that slapped her face and pushed against her whenever she tried to move forward. The temperature had dropped to 10 degrees below zero, and everyone could feel it. Few people had the courage to venture out into the tundra, except for Regina. She'd forgotten that she was in Maine, and not Alaska.

As Regina walked through the doors of her office, the tender warmth washed over her. Slowly, she began to regain the feeling in her fingers, and eventually her cheeks. Normally, she took her coat off in the hallway, but that morning, the brunette kept it on.

Regina had taken The Book to work with her. She knew Jane wouldn't notice, nor would she care. The Mayor's secretary had always been a bit of oblivious to some things. And, sure enough, Regina marched right past her unenthusiastic assistant without a second-look. It was as if Jane couldn't care less that the town's history was literally in Regina's hands. To her, it was just another book.

There were mounds of paperwork on Regina's desk, all waiting to be filled out and filed. In the few days after Gold's shop had burned down, numerous complaints flooded Regina's phone and fax machine; frantic shop owners were afraid their property was next. Queen or no Queen, she was still only one person.

After waiting for the rest of her body to reheat, Regina sat behind her desk and opened The Book. She couldn't stop touching the serrated edge. She'd had a restless night, what with Emma on the cot and the epiphany of a missing page.

Regina re-read the few pages before and after the stolen one, all the while thinking of who to go to about it. Henry was the obvious choice, but the last thing she wanted to do was put her son in the middle of a secret. He had enough to deal with on his last day at Storybrooke. It wouldn't have been right.

Snow was the second option, but Regina knew she couldn't go to the younger woman. It didn't matter that the princess had given Henry the book, Regina'd had enough of Snow telling secrets. As as much as she cared for Snow, Regina just couldn't deal with that. To her, she'd much rather tell Emma straight up than ask Snow for help.

The only other person that popped into Regina's mind was Rumplestiltskin. Although she didn't know what was on the page, she knew there was a reason it had been torn out. If Gold had been the one to take it, he wouldn't be so open to admitting it... would he? Regina and the wizard had been acquaintances for several lifetimes, and she'd come to learn that if he didn't want something to be exposed, he'd do whatever he had to do in order to contain it.

In the end, Regina realized there was no one she could approach about the missing page. The one time she would willingly ask for help, she hit a wall. Unless... Unless she confided in Emma about her findings. With her wife on her side, Regina's odds were doubled. The question was, could she put aside her pride in order to do so?

* * *

Emma eventually called into work "sick," and hung up on David before he could ask any other questions. It wasn't a complete farse. Emma still had a bit of a neck-ache from sleeping on a surface as soft as a wooden plank.

After the blonde had gotten dressed, and after she pinched her arm to remind herself she was awake, Emma met Neal in the kitchen. He was at the table, staring of out the window attentively. Once she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, Emma mustered the courage to make a sound.

She cleared her throat. Then she waited.

Neal turned around slowly, as though he weren't sure Emma were addressing him. "Feel better?" he asked innocently.

Emma folded her arms over her chest and jutted her chin out, "You mean after you scared the shit outta me? Yeah, I'm better."

"I said I was sorry, Emma."

"Whatever." Emma moved towards the tea kettle and kept her back towards Neal. She could feel the heat of his glare no matter what she did. "You want coffee?" She wished she hadn't said that. The fact that Neal wasn't alive had slipped her mind. "Uh, never mind," she corrected agitatedly. She heard a soft chuckle from the man behind her, but tried to ignore it.

"I saw Henry," Neal said suddenly.

This got Emma's attention. "You what?!" she sputtered as she spun on her heels. "Are you insane?!"

"I'm his father," the ghost piped. "I had to. It's not like he can see me, anyway." Emma couldn't deny sympathy she had for Neal. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to never be with her children again; not the way she used to. "He looks happy."

"He is," Emma agreed.

"You did a good job with him," Neal complimented.

"It wasn't just me. Regina raised him, too. Sometimes I think... I think she taught him more than I ever could." There was a slight hint of melancholy in Emma's tone. She let the conversation die down before looking up at Neal. "I gotta ask you something."

"Shoot." Neal had repositioned himself in his chair so that he was sitting with the back in front, his arms rested on the wooden rails, his chin laid on top. Emma wondered he was touching solid objects if he was a ghost.

Flashes of her time in limbo had haunted Emma since she'd woken up. Everyone said that it was normal, but something didn't feel right to her. No one could ever understand, because they hadn't been there. But Neal had. He was the only one. "King George... what happened to him? I remember a gunshot, but I couldn't see anything."

The smile dissolved from Neal's face as he remembered exactly what happened. "He died... again."

"Um. What?"

This time, Neal stood up and answered seriously. "People die twice: first their bodies, then their souls."

"But you said you spirits go to their favorite place," Emma countered.

"They do. Just, sometimes, they can die like they did before."

Nothing about this made any sense to Emma, but she knew asking questions would just confuse her even more. If she was going to deal with the supernatural, she needed caffeine. "So, what? He's gone? Forever?"

Neal nodded, "Pretty much."

"What about the others? Cora? Pan? Jonathan? Are they gone? I mean, honestly and truly gone?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry. If I could tell you, I would." The son of Rumplestiltskin inched closer to Emma until he was standing two feet away from her. "Maybe they're not the ones you should worry about."

"What does that mean?" Emma absolutely loathed the sound of that.

Neal shrugged, "Do I have to say it again? Everything happens for a reason. I'm here for a reason. If you and your family were safe because the others are dead, I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"You lost me." The kettle was starting to whistle behind Emma, but she was more focused on what Neal was saying.

"Emma," he exhaled. "You of all people know things aren't always as simple as they sound. Sure, the other guys are dead. But, does that really eliminate the threat? 'Cause I think if it did, I wouldn't be here right now."

* * *

Regina had just started her lunch break- take out from Granny's- when someone knocked on her door. The Mayor was in the midst of a not-so-graceful bite into her hamburger; it was a guilty pleasure she'd acquired from Emma. Before answering her unexpected visitor, Regina wiped away the excess lettuce with a napkin.

"Come in!" she welcomed. The brunette had expected Jane to waltz in with more paperwork, and was completely surprised to see her father-in law standing before her. "David?" she faltered. "Oh, pardon me, please, sit down." Regina motioned to the chair across from her.

The new sheriff accepted the seat quietly; there was obviously something wrong. David sat with his legs crossed, which he only did when he was worried. His new badge glinted under the light that streamed in from the windows. "Regina," he started. "I'm sorry for coming in without, you know, calling, but," he twiddled his fingers, "with all due respect, I don't think I'm the best person for this position."

Regina pushed her styrofoam box aside and folded her hands on top of her desk. "Go on."

"I shouldn't be the sheriff, Regina," he breathed. "Not like this."

The mayor waved her wrist hand, "Nonsense, David. You're the best man for the job."

"No, Emma was the best woman for the job. And now I've replaced her. I can't in good conscience remain the sheriff."

"Am I to understand that you're... resigning? After less than a day?" Regina asked quizzically.

"If you want to call it that," David nodded regretfully. "I'm sorry, Regina. But, you get it, right?"

Try as she might, Regina did "get it." Her act as mayor the previous day had mostly been one of anger, not one of clear thinking. She couldn't ask David to accept the role she fired Emma from. It would have gone against Prince Charming's moral code. "I do," Regina responded calmly. "May I ask one favor? I'll have to find a replacement, but on such short notice..."

"I'll stay on until you can find someone else," David finished the woman's thought. The two of them exchanged a familial nod and David got up to leave. Before he disappeared, though, he paused and looked back at Regina. "You know, as hard as it is to see Emma like this... You made the right choice yesterday. I would've done the same thing."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," Regina muttered to herself.

"Sorry?" David hadn't heard any of her words.

"I said I'll be sure to find someone else quickly," Madame Mayor lied. "Thank you for your service, David. Have a nice day."

* * *

Part of Emma was wishing it was all a dream; that Neal wasn't really there. The only reason she went to his grave was to vent, not to conjure up his spirit. She'd had enough of magic and all if its little tricks, she didn't think she had room for more. But, as she sat directly across from him at the table, the other part of Emma realized just how much she'd missed him- not just since limbo, but in the 16 years he'd been gone. His laughter made it all seem real, as if he were alive again. Emma wasn't so ignorant to believe that he was, but even if it were just his ghost, it was better than nothing.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Neal asked softly.

Emma forgotten about that old saying- Neal's saying. He used to ask her that whenever she drifted off into a daydream. The blonde clutched the handle of her mug and sat up straighter, "You first."

The corners of Neal's mouth twitched as he suppressed a cheeky grin. "Nope, I'm gonna be a gentleman about this. Ladies first."

The Savior scoffed in a slight amusement at Neal's cordial nature. "Fine," she conceded. "You wanna know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking the shit's gonna hit the fan when Regina finds out you're back. Scratch that, she'll cast a whole new curse just to start over from this," she rolled her eyes.

"I'm guessing you're not planning on telling her anytime soon...?"

"Dude, were you listening? Regina, my wife, the mayor- The Queen- won't exactly be happy to hear that her own spouse's ex-boyfriend is following her around. You hear how that sounds, right? Even if you are dead." Emma took a loud sip from her cup before continuing on her rant. "And, the whole family's gonna find out if Regina knows! They'll ask a million questions that I can't answer, we'll start a fight, and it'll be 'Goodbye cot' and 'Hello Granny's!'" When Neal didn't say anything, Emma groaned. "What? No words of wisdom from my supposed spirit guide?"

Neal looked as though he were having a thumb war with himself when he spoke softly. "You know I can't tell you what to do, Emma."

"I'm not asking you to," she spat. "In case you forgot, I don't follow your lead anymore."

"You did a few months ago."

"That was different," Emma shot back.

"Was it?" Neal frowned and kept his brown eyes on the woman under the sunlight.

"I did that so I could get home! So yeah, it was different."

Neal stopped playing with his hands and massaged the back of his neck. "You know what I hate about being dead? No alcohol."

* * *

The Swan-Mills children arrived home from school and went straight to their rooms. Emma asked Neal to leave while her family was home, and he willingly obliged. He was like Casper: a friendly ghost. Emma reminded them that it was Henry's last night and that they were having a nice dinner at home. She got four, mumbled, "Uh huhs" back, but was too tired to ask for a human response.

Emma was just putting the potatoes in water to boil when Regina walked through the front door. "Hey Gina," she called over her shoulder. While Emma started rinsing off the carrots, Regina came up from behind and hugged her wife at the waist. Somewhat confused, Emma twisted around to face the brunette. "What's that for?"

Regina felt her cheeks flare up and tried to hide it. "I just... wanted to apologize." She glanced around the empty room to make sure they were alone. "What I did yesterday... the way..." Since David's visit that afternoon, Regina'd done a bit of soul searching in-between files.

"I know. It's ok," Emma soothed. After a day with Neal, Emma's anger had subsided and turned into a form of compassion. She hadn't forgiven Regina for firing her so blatantly, but once again, Emma reminded herself that Regina was trying to protect her the only way she knew how.

"No, Emma, it's not. I shouldn't have done it like that. Please, forgive me?"

Regina's dark brown eyes pleaded with Emma and there was no way she could refuse. "No," Emma mumbled. She saw Regina bite her bottom lip as she fought to stop the tears, and Emma grazed the woman's cheek with her knuckle. "I'm not going to forgive you for loving me, Gina. You did what you had to do. I get it."

Relief ran through Regina's system as she pressed her lips against Emma's. "I do love you, Emma," she whispered.

"I know, babe. I love you, too," Emma half-smiled.

A dramatic groan filled the air and both women craned their necks to one side. Dani was leaning against the doorway, a twisted expression on her face. "Not over the food, Moms," she whined.

Emma smirked at her sarcastic daughter, "You wanna help with dinner? Or you wanna stand there and pout?" Dani peeled herself off of the doorframe and stomped over to the fresh vegetables. "Thanks, baby girl."

"We'll talk later," Regina murmured in Emma's ear.

Just like that, Regina was gone. It was only Emma and Dani now. "Ma?"

"Yeah?"

The water on the stove started bubbling and steam rose from the top; its heat spread out beyond the pot and through the kitchen, and the windows fogged up instantly. Dani was carefully slicing the tomatoes as Regina had taught her, "Does this mean you and Mom are ok again?"

Although taken aback by Dani's question, Emma didn't blame her daughter for worrying. In all fairness, she and Regina had given their kids cause for concern, and she felt genuinely guilty. When she thought about it from the kids' perspectives, she felt even worse; they weren't used to parents fighting, because Emma and Regina rarely uttered a harsh word to one another. She couldn't imagine what Dani was feeling. With this in mind, Emma nodded slowly. "Yeah, baby girl, we're ok again." She sensed Dani's shoulders relax and Emma planted a kiss on her head. "You know, the thing with adult arguments is, sometimes they can last for weeks or months. Or, sometimes they can last just a few days. Stuff gets said and people get hurt, but that doesn't mean it can't be fixed."

"Sounds like every other kind of argument," Dani said.

"Yeah, kinda. It all depends on the person, really. I guess what I'm trying to say is... your mom and I will get mad at each other, but that doesn't mean I love her any less or that she loves me any less. You know what I mean?" Emma held her breath in hopes that her bright daughter was following her point.

Dani plopped the cut tomatoes into the salad bowl and moved onto the cucumbers, her eyes never left the cutting board. "So... you're not mad anymore?"

Emma would never be able to comprehend how such a young person could ask such complex questions. "Emotions are different than words, Dani," she said.

"But they come from them, Ma. Don't they?"

"Yeah, baby girl, I guess they do." Emma thought on it for a moment before going on. "No, I'm not mad at her. I never was."

"Then who were you mad at?" Dani wondered casually.

Emma ran her hands under cold water and dried them on the kitchen towel. She'd talked to Archie about this kind of thing, and he'd give her intellectual reasons for why she felt that way. When she talked to Neal in limbo, even he tried to make her feel better. But right then, sharing the space with her eldest daughter, Emma finally understood something. "Myself," she finally replied. Dani looked up from her task and met Emma's gaze; they shared a silent pause. Emma threw her arm around the teenager's shoulders and held on tight. When she let go, she smiled down at Dani. "You've helped enough, baby girl. Go ahead, I got it from here."

"You sure? I don't mind doing more," Dani offered.

"Positive. You've done more than you think," Emma assured. "Thanks." She pat Dani's back and gave her a little nudge in the direction of the open doorway. The brunette girl saw her other mother in the hall and smiled at her, unaware that Regina had been standing there the entire time.

* * *

Dinner with the Swan-Mills family always consisted of giggling, storytelling, teasing, and sometimes, burping. August would start belching, and Dakota always wanted to prove she could do anything her brother could. More often than not, it led to reproachful looks from Regina.

Since it was Henry and Maya's last night in town, Emma and Regina let the kids stay up past their bedtimes. Instead of curfew being nine o'clock, it got changed to nine thirty. For Regina, that was leniency.

So, when nine thirty came, and the scent of fresh-baked chocolate cookies hung in the air, the four youngest Swan-Mills children hugged and kissed their older brother and soon-to-be sister. "Goodnights" were exchanged, "I love yous" were said, and promises were made to call soon. Henry and Maya hadn't told anyone of their plans yet; they wanted it to be a surprise. And, they knew just how to do it.

As the kids filed out of the room, Emma and Regina took the two seats nearest to each other and sat opposite of Henry and Maya. Emma had one arm hugging her wife close, as she'd missed doing so in the previous days.

"So, Mom... how's work?" Henry asked innocently. David had told Henry of his plans to resign being sheriff, and Henry'd had an idea.

Regina pictured the endless stacks of manilla folders that still existed on her desk. "I don't remember why I wanted to be the mayor anymore," she sighed. Regina put a finger up to Emma's parting lips, "That was a rhetorical statement, dear."

"That bad?" Henry pushed gently.

"Between Gold's Shop being set on fire and your grandfather giving his notice, yes, I would say it's that bad," Regina bantered.

"Wait- Dad quit?" Emma backtracked. She hadn't heard anything from David all day, but she supposed it was because she had been avoiding his calls.

"Yes, David resigned this morning. It seems your whole family has a knack for honor." Regina took a swig of her tea, completely obvious to Emma's gawking. "Now, I have to find someone to take his spot." Again, she cut Emma off. "Someone else, dear."

"I could do it," Henry piped. He'd been waiting all day to say that.

Now both Emma and Regina were staring at Henry. Maya had an excited grin next to her fiancee. They'd agreed not to say anything until Regina or Emma brought it up. "Uh, what'd you say, Kid?" Emma's jaw moved, but she felt numb.

"Be the sheriff," Henry clarified. "I could do it." He focused on looking as earnest as possible, but it was hard when all he wanted to do was smile.

"Henry, what-"

"Maya and I bought a place in Storybrooke!" Henry disclosed abruptly.

"We signed the papers this morning," Maya chirped.

"Uh... Moms?" Emma and Regina were as motionless as statues as they sat silently. "Moms?" Henry tried again.

"You're moving back here?" Regina asked after jolting back to reality. Henry nodded eagerly. And, just like that, Regina's dazed look turned into one of joy. "You're moving back!" she rephrased with more sincerity. The happy mother jumped out of her chair and hugged Henry over the table, the Maya.

Emma quickly followed suit. She just needed a minute to wrap her head around the news. "Welcome home, Kids!"

"Wait- what about your jobs? Your careers?" Regina questioned maternally. "And what did you buy? I didn't even know there were openings."

Henry chuckled at Regina's fumbling and reminded himself it would happen more often now that he was back for good. "Remember that apartment you and Ma looked at before buying the house? Turns out, it was still open. One of the perks of living in a nonexistent town, huh?"

"And we can work from home. The paper's mostly online anyway, so it's no problem," Maya informed.

"Seems like you've got it figured out," Emma beamed at her smart kids.

"I learned from the best!" Henry held his hands out in front him in a "Ta-Da" motion. "So, Moms, about being sheriff," he snuck in.

"Henry, I don't know. It's not an easy job, especially not right now," Regina thought out loud. "There's a lot you have to do. And it can be dangerous-"

"I know, Mom. I remember you getting scared when Ma would come home late. But I can do it. After all, looks like it runs in the family," Henry teased. When neither Regina or Emma laughed, Henry put his serious face on again. "Maya and I talked about it. Being a journalist is awesome, but if I'm gonna live here, I wanna do something for the town the way you guys alway do. And if Ma's on break, or whatever, I can do it temporarily."

"After everything that's happened, Henry thought this was the best way he could give back to his home and the people in it," Maya said.

Regina gazed over at Emma for help, but she could see the blonde was leaning towards their son's side. "Kid, if you're sure this is what you want to do-"

"It is, Ma."

"Then I don't see a problem with it. Honestly, you're the only one I'd trust watching over the place," Emma finished. "Next to Dad, I mean."

"Thanks, Ma. That really means a lot," Henry blushed. "Mom? Whaddu say?"

* * *

"I can't believe I agreed to let our son be the sheriff!" Regina complained through the bathroom door.

"He'll be fine, Gina!" Emma assuaged while she made up her cot. "He knows what do to."

"Watching someone do it and knowing are two different things, Emma," Regina retorted. She'd yanked open the bathroom door and glided into their room. When she saw what Emma was doing, she stopped in her tracks. "You're... not sleeping in the bed?"

Emma let go of the blanket in her hands and her eyes drifted longingly to her old spot. "Oh, uh..."

"Only if you want to." Regina looked away and unfolded the comforter on her side of the mattress.

"No, yeah, totally." Emma raced around the cot and hopped into bed next to Regina. "Can I...?" she trailed off, her arms out for Regina.

"In a minute." Regina sat up against the headboard, her hands in her lap. "Emma, there's... there's something I need to show you."

Nothing about that put Emma at ease. "You're not gonna rip your heart out again, are you?"

Regina thought back to when she showed Emma her heart in the mausoleum all those years ago. "Not this time, dear." She flicked her wrist effortlessly and before Emma realized it, The Book was on their bed. "Now, I know, for whatever reason, you're not a fan of magic right now, but this is something you had to see. I didn't want to wake the kids up." The brunette reached her arm towards her bed stand and clicked the light on. "I came home early yesterday, after our... incident, and I started flipping through this," she opened The Book. "I know we've read this to the kids a thousand times, and it always makes sense, but I found this," Regina passed the leather-bound archive to Emma and the blonde felt the jagged lining.

"Gina, what-"

"I think a page is missing."

Emma's eyes widened as the new information found a place in her mind. "Shit."

Regina shook her head. "This may be a stretch, but I think whoever is behind all of the attacks has something to do with this. Maybe they're even the one who took it."

"Regina, that's not a stretch, that's genius!" Emma exclaimed. "If we can find the person who did this, then we can find out who the sadistic son-of-a-bitch is!"

"In theory, yes," the Queen blushed.

The Savior was so inspired at the revelation, she didn't even care that Regina had waited until that moment to tell her. "I'll talk to Gold in the morning and-"

"No!" Regina cut in. Emma's alarm was evident, and while that wasn't Regina's intent, she wanted to make sure Emma understood the severity of their discovery. "I'm sorry, dear, but we can't go to him. Not yet. Until we can prove otherwise, he may be involved somehow."

"You're not saying Gold is the one who gave orders to kill all of us, are you?"

"Of course not! But I do think he knows something. And I know him. If he's got something to do with this, and didn't tell us, there has to be a reason why."

"Everything happens for a reason," Emma uttered. It seemed as though Neal's constant reminder was finally taking effect on the woman. _Neal_. Emma realized Regina was being totally honest with her, and it was only fair for Emma to be honest with Regina. It didn't matter what she'd told Neal earlier, Regina had a right to know. "Gina, I gotta tell you something."

* * *

_"I didn't see any shit hit the fan," a voice echoed on Emma's head. _

_When she opened her eyes, Emma saw that she was in the middle town, on Main Street. White snow still blanketed the ground, but she didn't feel cold. If anything, the air around her was almost room temperature, which didn't make sense to her. There was no one else there, except for one other person. Emma turned to the direction she'd heard the voice from. "You've gotta stop doing this," she groaned. "At least give me a warning before you just appear, ok?"_

_Neal had his hands in his peacoat pockets; his leather desert boots were untied and hung sloppily over the tongue. "You're asleep. How else am I gonna talk to you?" _

_"If I'm asleep, _no one_ should be talking to me," she grumbled. Was it really too much to ask that she get a peaceful night's rest? "Ok, I'm here, now whaddu you want?" _

_Neal's playful attitude seemed to have vanished, and all that was left was a solemn grimace. "I've got a feeling about something," he stated flatly. _

_"Ok?" Emma was too tired to decipher Neal's message on her own. "You brought me here because you have a 'feeling?'" _

_"I think something's gonna happen, Emma- something... really bad." _

_"What is is?" she urged. _

_"I don't know, but it's not good. I know it sounds weird, but you gotta believe me," Neal begged. _

_Perhaps it was the overwhelming fatigue that took over Emma's body, but she was not up for any riddles or games. She was barely comprehending Neal's warning. "Bro, until you can actually say more than 'really bad,' I'm going back to sleep." _

_"Wait!" Neal called after Emma. It was too late. Emma had already exited the town. _

* * *

**A/N ****_- _**Hi! Wasn't this week's episode intense?! I know it's been a little while since I've updated this. I usually add chapters much quicker. Sorry for the delay! I've been writing as much as possible, but I kept remembering: if it's boring to write, it's probably boring to read. So, I wanted to make sure you wouldn't fall asleep during this. This chapter's a little less action-packed, but don't worry, there will be some soon enough :-) Yes, Emma and Regina have made up... for now ;-) I hope you've been enjoying this so far, and that you'll follow where it goes! Thanks for the great reviews!


	7. When Tragedy Strikes

When Emma woke up the next morning, Regina was just inches away from her. The brown-haired woman was asleep on her side, one hand under her pillow, and her chest rose and fell in time to her breathing. Two mornings without seeing Regina's face when she woke up, were two morning too many for Emma.

Noiselessly, Emma untucked her body out from under the blankets, crept around their bed, and made her way to the bathroom. Regina stirred in her sleep until, eventually, she was fully awake. When she didn't see her wife, her heart skipped a beat. "Emma?" she tested.

"Yeah?" Emma greeted from the door. She strode to the mattress, sat on the edge of the bed, and kissed Regina's forehead; their noses brushed against each other's. "Now look who's skipping work," she joked

"Emma, please, I'm a grown woman. I do not 'skip'... I merely take the day off. After all, I _am_ the mayor; I'm entitled to a short break and now then." Emma raised a coy eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that, Emma Swan-Mills, I called in... for the both of us. I suppose you can take one more day off," she said with mock authority. "The kids took the bus to school."

"That means I got you all to my self, huh?" the blonde breathed as she closed the gap between herself and Regina.

"Hm, yes and no, dear." Regina held Emma's wandering hand in her own and kissed the back of it. "Yes, today is ours, but I was hoping that we could work together on The Book."

Emma smiled nostalgically, "Sounds like the good ole' days."

"With the exception of us being 10 years older and having a larger family to look after, I suppose so," Regina brooded. Emma had a look on her face- the one where Regina always knew something was going on in her head. "What are you thinking about?"

Emma was fixated on the light that streamed in over their vanity. So many times she had seen Regina sit in front of the mirror and brush her hair, put her lipstick on, apply makeup "as needed." She remembered when Regina was pregnant with all four of their kids; the way she'd tracked the growth of her bump from day-to-day by staring at her reflection. Emma would always walk up from behind and place her hands on their unborn child, and Regina's would lay on top of hers. "We've got a pretty cool life, don't we?"

"I imagine it's more than 'cool,' dear. I think we have a rather amazing life," Regina smirked.

"You know what I meant, babe," Emma rolled her eyes. "Even when things aren't perfect, they're ok."

"It's like you always say, isn't it? 'Perfection is overrated.'"

"Eh, I guess. The funny thing is, even if it's not 'perfect' to other people, it's sure as hell 'perfect' to me."

"I couldn't agree more, dear." Emma moved in to kiss Regina again, but her stomach had other plans. Right before their lips touched, a thunderous growling vibrated the room, and both women laughed giddily. "My, my, my, good morning to you, too. Hungry much?"

Emma blushed, "A little."

"Then we should find a solution. What would you say to Granny's? 20 minutes?" Regina noticed Emma's trepidation as soon as she'd said "Granny's." "I'm sorry. We don't have to go there. I could make us breakfast here," she offered quickly.

"No, it's ok. Granny's sounds nice," Emma decided. "I can't keep running from it, can I?"

* * *

For the first time in a long time, Emma and Regina ate a meal just the two of them. Granny's provided the perfect setting: familiar faces, happy residents, and great food. With Regina at her side, Emma's nerves calmed considerably. Her wife gave her the nudge she needed, and when Emma opened the front door, it was as though her worries had been depleted; like the air out of a balloon.

Emma ordered chocolate chip pancakes and Regina asked for a hot bowl of vegetable soup. When the food had arrived, the married couple dug right in. While they left The Book at home (Regina's request) that didn't stop them from sharing their ideas.

"I've been over it several dozen times, Emma. The story goes right from Gold letting go of Neal's hand, to him with... my mother. All of the strings are tied together. It blends together seamlessly," Regina inferred.

Emma stuffed a forkful of pancake in her mouth as she mulled over Regina's musings. "Mom gave Henry The Book, right? Why can't we ask her?"

"Emma, you know I love you, and your parents, but tell me, are you serious?" Regina scoffed. "You're fully aware that your mother is incapable of discretion."

"Wha- this isn't a secret, Gina... Is it?"

"No, but it isn't something we should advertise without thinking of the repercussions."

Emma noticed that Regina had lowered her voice to a near whisper. "Ok, if we can't go to her, then who do we ask? Henry? If he knew about it, he would've told us, don'tcha think?"

"I don't doubt our son, dear. I agree, if Henry had known, he would have come to us. However, since he didn't, I have to assume he wasn't privy to this information."

"Gina, you're doing it again," Emma grunted through mouthfuls.

Regina set her spoon on the tiny plate under her ceramic bowl. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to."

"That," the deputy said blandly, her fork pointed towards Regina. "You're talking like a politician. It's just me, babe; not a congresswoman."

Regina was about to reply with a witty comeback- if she said so herself- when Henry and David walked in together; Emma could see the resemblance in the two men as they strutted through the diner. She also saw the way David looked everywhere but at his daughter.

"You guys look good together," Emma commented nonchalantly. "That badge suits you." She gestured to the glinting piece of medal on Henry's belt loop. The mother did her best to ignore the gun that rested in a holster against her son's torso.

The grandson and his grandfather stopped at the edge of the women's table, and Henry had his hands on his hips. "Mayor, Deputy," Henry nodded. At Regina's warning glare, Henry released his power stance, "I mean, Moms."

"That's more like it," Regina chirped. "Good morning, David."

The older man cleared his throat gruffly. "Morning."

"Hey, Dad," Emma prodded gently. Her father did little to respond.

"It's cool, Grandpa. Ma swallowed her pride," Henry translated the unspoken words.

"Kid! Not cool!" Emma cried. But Henry just laughed. The blonde peeked at her quiet dad and saw how tired he seemed. "So, how's your first morning going?"

"Good!" Henry cheered. "It's pretty cool actually! A lot easier than I thought it was gonna be. But, I guess that's because nothing's exploded yet."

"What, so, David just handed you the badge and poof you're sheriff? I had to go through an freaking election!" Emma groused.

"Easy, dear, it's not that simple. I'll have to fill out some legal work, but in general, there is an election. Obviously, there's been an exception," Regina remarked. Henry transported his weight from one foot to another, and his older mother noticed. "You're welcome to join us," she invited. She and Emma had the whole day together, they had more time to talk.

"Thanks, Mom, but we're just gonna grab some coffee; another myth I busted," Henry realized. "See ya guys."

"I'll call you later," David held his hand up to Emma; his daughter bowed her head curtly.

"God, they look alike," Emma noted as she stared at the men's backs.

"Indeed they do," Regina hummed. "Anyway, where were we? Ah yes, my language, Emma, I-"

Regina had no time to go further into detail when the entire diner convulsed around them. The lights flashed on and off like their house had the night of the fire, but this time, they stayed off. Shocked gasps cut through the space, and dishes crashed to the floor. The sound of broken glass sent chills down Emma's spine.

Everything looked normal through the window, but from of the corner of her eye, Emma noticed Henry and David running for the door. Without thinking, she grabbed Regina's hand and they followed after their son. The ground had stopped shaking just long enough for them to make it to the streets.

The sunlight sent spots flying in front of Emma's eyes, but she quickly regained her vision. Something caught her attention below her and when she looked down at the concrete, Emma's heart dropped into her stomach: spreading from the tip of her toes, to the end of the street in front of library, was one, large crack in the earth. Smaller openings sprouted from the sides and dispersed throughout Main Street, like vines infesting the side of a house.

The few people who were outside at the time ran into the closest stores for cover as a nearby street lamp tilted over. Regina caught it magically before it crashed completely. More frightened yelling filled the air as other residents scampered away from whatever it was that was happening.

Then, when the adults stopped wailing, a new set of screams pierced the sound barrier; they were higher-pitched, and there were more of them. Henry and David had been leading people to safety- wherever that was- when they heard the shrieking. "The school," Emma choked.

Without so much as a second thought, all four adults raced towards the voices. Emma trailed closely behind her father, and Henry and Regina. To them, it felt like an eternity before they made it to the small building. The split in the cement had beaten them there and they could hear the terrified howls from the kids.

With white hot adrenaline pumping through their veins, the heroic team of four dove through the doors and gathered all of the young people and herded them outside. Since the school started offering secondary education for the older kids, the student population had grown exponentially.

Emma and Regina kept a look out for their children; David did the same for Johanna and Snow. Unbeknownst to the other adults, Henry was also on alert for Maya. She'd gone early in the morning for an interview about a possible teaching position. In a town where everyone's degrees were fake, Maya was just as qualified as anyone else.

On her fourth trip back into the school, Emma started to smell smoke. Her maternal instincts controlled her every move as she daringly trampled through each room and rescued more and more students. She was vaguely conscious of the sirens that sounded in the neighborhood.

It was on her sixth round through the school that she barreled into a ninth grade science room and found her children huddled in a corner. Except for Dani. She stood in the middle of the class, hands in the air, containing a fire in a purple forcefield. Dakota had her arms wrapped around her crying, baby sister.

"Ma!" August leapt out from their space in the wall and flocked towards his mother. Dakota, with Faith close by, did the same.

"Dani!" Emma beckoned. "You can let go! We've gotta get you outta here!" The Savior's eldest daughter released the suspended ball of fire and ran out of the door just as it landed on the ground. Emma brought up the rear of the rescue mission with her kids in front of her. She never took her eyes off of them, not even when smoke entered the corridors, and not even when the bricks from the walls startled flying at them. "Keep going!" she ordered fiercely. Dani held onto the twin's hands as she guided them through the large school.

Faith was in-between her siblings and her mom when she tripped on her untied shoelace. Emma was just a few feet away when part of the ceiling began to cave in over Faith. In an attempt to catch her daughter, Emma threw her hands out in front of her. Faith covered her head and braced herself for the impact that never came. Emma gaped at what she'd done, the way the bricks had frozen in the air. But, she didn't have time to dwindle on the unexpected act. Emma scooped Faith from off the floor and carried her the rest of the way out. The older kids had already escaped the deteriorating building.

The entire student and staff community was waiting on the lawn together, joined by the fire department. Several firefighters stormed the building and followed the trail of smoke. Henry had found Maya and was holding her as close as possible. David and Snow embraced each other with Johanna stuck in the middle of them them. Regina hugged her three kids, but her alarm only intensified when Emma and Faith didn't emerge fast enough.

Finally, the last two people in the school resurfaced, and two firefighters advanced on them, ready to assist in any way possible. Emma pushed past the men in yellow and continued straight onward. "Faith!" Regina yelped. Emma set down the young girl on the ground and watched as she ran into Regina's arms. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?!" she investigated.

"I'm ok, Mom," Faith squeaked. "Ma used her magic to save me!"

Regina gaped up at Emma, completely bewildered. "Magic?"

Emma her crammed into her pockets to hide the fact that they were shaking. "Some day off, huh?"

* * *

"How many were hurt?" Emma questioned. The rest of the family, the entire family, had gathered at the station. Regina refused to split them up. Meanwhile, the everyone else from the school was scattered around buildings on Main Street: the library, Granny's, town hall.

Henry had just gotten off of the phone with Whale. It'd been less than 30 minutes since the tremors, and sirens were already blaring through the "Caution"-taped town. "23 were injured, two people died," Henry relayed gravely. Maya's hand flew to her mouth and Snow closed her eyes mournfully. Suddenly, Henry's excitement over being sheriff seemed ages ago.

Regina's lips were pursed in a tight line as she entered mayor mode. Too much was happening in a short amount of time, and she still wanted to talk to Emma about The Book. Now she had to worry about her wife's magic as well. "All right," she started, "damage control. The roads probably aren't stable enough for parents to get to their children. David, Snow, can you be in charge of the phones? Tell them we've put them in the library for now." The Charmings nodded in unison before sitting at David and, now, Henry's desks. "We should see if any businesses have electrical problems, or any other damage, and quickly too. We don't need another fire to start. Maya, I understand this is still relatively new-"

"No worries. I'll do it," Maya affirmed.

"Henry, as sheriff, you should go with Maya," Regina added when she saw the yearning in her son's eyes. She checked off another item on her mental list. "A protection charm!" she decided suddenly. "Whatever is trying to get in needs to be blocked."

Emma cut in then, "Get in? Gina, you don't think this- a freak weather thing- is part of the other crap? I mean, there wasn't a specific target."

"Frankly, Emma, I don't know what to think right now, other than we can't take any chances. Don't you agree?" Regina asked in her mayor voice.

"We can do that," Dani offered bravely. "The protection charm."

"Daniela, no-"

"Mom, we can help. We did it before!" Dani reminded Regina. "Dakota, August, and I can combine our magic again. Like we did in the Enchanted Forest."

In the middle of the mother-daughter argument, Gold came hobbling in with Belle on his arm. "Did someone say magic?" he asked. "I do believe that is one of my specialties."

"Yes, the strongest you can summon," Regina appealed. At Dani's agonized frown, Regina modified her orders. "Take the children with you, Gold. Keep an eye on them."

"No harm shall come to them," Gold promised.

"I trust you'll keep them safe," Regina said, surprised at her own words. "Belle, can you locate Red and Blue? It's been nearly half an hour since the last quakes, I'll need the three of you to set up a camp of sorts, like David and Red did after the curse broke. Can you do this?" Belle acknowledged with a tip of her head. "If there's nothing else-"

"Gina, wait," Emma sighed. All eyes fell upon the self-conscious blonde as she thought back to her dream- no, her interaction- with Neal the night before. "I don't know who's doing this, but if you think it's linked to everything else, then I know someone who might."

"Who?" Regina pressed.

The Savior absorbed the heat from her family's fixations, and in a way, she used it to push herself forward. "Neal."

"Baelfire?"

"Dad?" Henry and Gold asked in unison.

"Neal? Emma, what are you talking about? You haven't seen him since... since you were in a coma." Snow still had a hard time believing her daughter had been unconscious for a week.

Regina glanced over at her wife and noticed Emma's hesitancy. "Snow, we can't discuss this right now. As much as I would love to hear Emma's theory, as much as we all would, we have to make sure the rest of the town is safe. Please, if you've been given a task, we must hurry."

"I will take the young ones to the border, though we will be mindful," said Gold. The old wizard left the station with four Swan-Mills in tow. Belle was next to walk out, followed by Maya and Henry.

At the end, it was Regina, Emma, David, Snow, and Johanna. "Emma, before we leave, your magic. What happened?" Regina journeyed.

Emma furrowed her brow as she struggled to go back to the school in her mind. She did _not_ want to be reminded of how her daughter had almost died. "I- I dunno."

"Please, Emma. It's important, especially considering you haven't used it in years."

"No shit?!" Emma snapped. Too much pressure. Too much happening.

"It's all right, dear," Regina cooed. "It will only take a second. Close your eyes and think. What was going on when you helped Faith?"

Emma followed instructions and dragged her unwilling mind back to the school hallway. "The kids were in front of me... they were running. Faith tripped and... and the walls started caving in... She was gonna get hit, and I tried to grab her. Then... the bricks just stopped. I grabbed Faith and we..." Emma opened her eyes, "we get the hell outta that deathtrap." Under her breath, she added, "I should've listened to Neal."

"What was that?"

Emma wrung her gloves in her hands. "I should have listened to Neal. I had this dream... Ok, not a dream. Whatever. But he was there. He tried to warn me about something; he said he had a bad feeling."

Regina's eyes widened and her face went red, not from embarrassment, but from anger. "Why didn't you tell me this?!"

"He didn't have any proof, so I didn't believe him!"

"Bring him here," Regina ordered swiftly. "If he's back, if he's coming to you in both worlds, dreams and reality, call for him. Find out everything he knows about whoever is behind this. Emma!" Regina stomped her foot when Emma showed no signs of recognition.

Under the pressure of her spouse, Emma surrendered. "Neal?" she asked the empty space. "Neal, get your ass out here!" There was nothing. "Jesus Christ, Neal seriously? I know you can hear me!" Still, no response. Emma shook her head and tried one more time. "Neal, seriously, man, we need you!"

"What's wrong?" Regina inquired.

Emma looked around the station, but it was just them, her parents, and Johanna. "He's not answering."

* * *

While the parents strategized at the station, Gold arrived at the town line with the Swan-Mills quartet; Baelfire's blanket hung around his neck. Dense fog hung in the air and swan through the forest. It was near impossible to see anything clearly. Gold had teleported the five of them to the the border. It'd been a while since he'd been so close to the border. In fact, Gold couldn't exactly remember when he was last there.

"Listen carefully, dearies. You four were born of the strongest magic I know of: true love. Therefore, you have that magic in you. Now you three," he directed at Dani and the twins, "are mighty practitioners of the craft. I'm sure your mother has taught you well, but what we are about to do is not in any spell book of Regina's. This is far more powerful." Gold readjusted his cane so that his hands were free. "I will recite the incantation, and you will do as I do." On his good knee, Gold bent down to the cold ground and placed his hand directly on top of the painted line. Dani, Dakota, and August mimicked the man's movements, while Faith stood behind. When Gold moved his hand along the boundary, so did the kids. In a sound that could only be compared to a whisper, Gold repeated the spell he'd read about when he was still the Dark One.

Faith was twirling her long hair around her finger when she saw something shiny hovering above Gold. She kept expecting the man to notice the object over him, but he never did. When she realized that Gold was too far into concentration, Faith lurched forward. "Grandpa Gold!" she cried out. Faith was too late. The metal point dropped... right into Gold's back.

* * *

"What do you mean he's not answering?"

"I mean he's not answering, Gina. That's not too hard to understand," Emma said bitterly.

"When was the last time you had contact with him? Other than your dream?" Regina investigated.

"Yesterday, before you got home," the blonde responded robotically.

"And he didn't say anything then?"

"Regina, if he had, I would have told you!"

"Clearly not, since it didn't occur to you to inform me of Neal's message," Regina retaliated. "Try again."

"You just heard me call his name four times, Gina. What makes you think now, two minutes later, would be any different?" Emma squabbled.

"Please, Emma, just... do it?" Regina groaned.

With a tight clench of her jaw, Emma rolled her eyes. "Neal?!" she shouted as loud as she could. Her heavy tone bounced off of the linoleum floors and hit the ceiling, but still no sign of Neal.

"Ma!" a younger voice called out.

Emma did a 180 and twisted around to look at Dani. The blonde's heart stopped the moment she saw the purple smoke lifting above her kids. Lying motionless, in the middle of the floor, Gold was covered in blood. And Faith was holding his dagger.

* * *

**A/N - **Hi! Well, I said I'd try and update quicker, so, here's another chapter! Things are starting to get crazy again in Storybrooke! The Queen and Savior still haven't met their adversary, but that will happen in due time, dearies. Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Keep going, there's more to come ;-)


	8. Under Pressure

It didn't take long for Emma and David to rush to Gold's side. The two of them carried the wounded man to the bench in the cell, and Regina sent Snow to find Belle. The sheriff wrapped the pawnshop owner in the blanket that had previously been on Gold's shoulders. Pained groans escaped Gold's lips, and David turned on him on his stomach. He ripped part of the moss-green material and pressed it against Gold's lesion.

The kids hung back by the desks, too horrified to move. Emma walked up to them slowly and knelt down in front of her youngest daughter. "Faith, baby girl, hand Ma the sharp knife, ok?" The little girl extended her hand and gently placed the dagger in Emma's palm. "Where'd you find this?" Faith's gaze dropped to her feet, her youthful innocence took over. "You're not in trouble, Faith, I promise. Just tell us where this came from."

Regina joined her wife on the floor and held onto Faith's hand. "It's ok, sweetie, we know you didn't do it. Can you answer you mother, please?"

"I found it," Faith mumbled, her chin tucked into her chest.

"Ok, great. Where'd you find it?" Emma pushed easily.

"By the line, when they were doing the spell," the youngest Swan-Mills said. "I saw it by Grandpa Gold... it was floating. Then it fell on him." Immense relief washed over both mothers at the confirmation that Faith was not involved in Gold's injury. There was no chance of her becoming the new Dark One.

"Rumple?!" Belle broke through the doors and interrupted the family's investigation. Emma wrapped her hand around the hilt of the dagger as she locked eyes with the frantic woman. "No!" the accented-woman shook her head.

"He's alive," Emma said quickly. "But, Belle, he-" Belle didn't hear anything past "He's alive," and shoved past Emma. She saw a form on the metal bed and fell to her knees at Gold's side. "Rumple?" she whispered. She replaced David's hand with her own and tried to slow the bleeding.

"Grandpa?" Henry breathed in disbelief. Soon enough, he was beside Belle.

Before the rest of the group knew it, the ground started to churn again, and everyone gripped one another for safety. A car alarm was triggered outside of the station, and when the adults peered out of the window, the sky had turned black and green.

When the earth stood still, and everyone regained their balance, a new kind of panic was activated. For the first time, in what seemed like forever, the Queen and the Savior were speechless.

Henry was the first one to make a sound. "What's going on?!" He pushed himself off of the ground and ran a shaky hand through his hair. Maya wanted to so badly to comfort him, though she knew nothing she could say would help.

"You were right," Emma told Regina.

The sheriff ignored Emma's apparent epiphany and moved on to his other mother. "Mom? You- you can heal him right? Like you healed Ma."

Regina glanced back at Gold with remorse. "I... Henry, he was hurt with his own dagger. I can't repair that kind of magic."

Henry balled his fists in frustration. "What about, you know, a preservation spell? It worked on Daniel!"

"It would only prolong his agony," Regina tried.

"We can't just let him die!" her son growled.

"Dearie," Gold croaked through sharp gasps. Belle thought he was talking to her, but soon realized he was talking to Henry.

The wizard's grandson crouched down in front of him and put on a brave face. "Hey, grandpa, you're gonna be ok."

With Belle still holding the rag over Gold's wound, the old man spoke in a hoarse voice. "Henry, it's all right. I've survived enough for an eternity; it's my time. Everything happens for a reason."

Regina was knee deep in compassion, so much so, she almost missed what Gold had said. It was as though time had frozen, and she was the only one still moving. "Gold, what was that?" The doomed wizard picked his head up and locked eyes with Regina, but she didn't need him to repeat it. A light bulb had been switched on in her over-thinking mind. She turned to her shocked wife; a feeling of guilt bubbled in her chest. "Emma, those flowcharts you were making, can you draw another one?"

"Gina, now's not the best time for pictures," Emma objected.

"If it helps us stop whatever's happening, then we have all the time we need," Regina justified. She let go of Faith's hand and searched Henry's desk for paper and a pen. Once she found what she'd been looking for, she held out the materials to her spouse. "Just like the others you made: same people, same connections."

Emma reluctantly accepted her arts supplies and flattened the paper over a flat surface; the dagger now rested by the phone. With the rest of the family watching her deliberate movements, Emma scribbled down the names of everyone she could think of. Like her other graphics, she made solid lines where good relationships had been maintained, and dotted lines where there hadn't. _"Same people, same connections," _Emma heard Regina's voice in her head. Although she'd made dozens of the very same chart, Emma got the same results every time: nothing. But, it was clear that Regina was seeing something Emma hadn't. "Here," she declared the very moment she finished.

Regina's eyes ran across the page, one finger traced the lines. When she'd seen all that she needed to, she looked back at the blonde. "Where's Neal?" It was clear to Regina that her wife was lost. For Emma, it was like trying to catch a shark with a worm. "Why isn't his name on here?" Regina rephrased. She knew she was entering uncharted, sensitive territory, but something wasn't sitting right with her.

"He's dead. Why would I put him on there?" Emma countered sourly.

"You have Cora and Pan written down, and they're both gone. The same with Jonathan and George. Why isn't Neal's name here?" Regina egged.

"I don't get what-" Emma cut herself off. Regina's subtle accusation cut into her like a titanium sword, and for a moment, Emma couldn't say for certain that she hadn't been stabbed with one. "No," she said in a hallow voice. "Regina, no!"

The Queen took a few steps closer to The Savior, but Emma backed away as if she were being cornered. "Emma, listen to me-"

"No!" the blonde barked angrily.

Regina's had was outstretched for Emma's, but her wife never took it. "I know it isn't what you want to hear, but, Emma, you _need_ to listen. You need to _think._"

"Mom, whatt're you saying?" Henry asked from the cell, still a little behind Emma's understanding.

Regina rotated to face her son, and a lump the size of a ping-pong ball lodged itself in her throat. Emma's rage wrestled with her sorrow as she growled, "She's saying Neal is the one doing this!"

Henry's face fell, and he fought to keep the rest of his body from doing the same. "Emma," Regina said, "think about it: Cora had to have known where Gold's dagger is. Someone had to have told her. King George- he appeared to you in limbo with Neal. Jonathan had the same orders George did, and then Gold's- GOLD'S- shop burns down. Most of these people had a specific target, and Gold shows up more than once. He's the only one who's been attacked multiple times. None of us know where he's kept the dagger, but if Neal really is a spirit, then he would! He wasn't answering any of your calls, Emma." Regina paused to give the deputy a moment to digest everything. "Didn't you say Neal kept telling you 'Everything happens for a reason?' I believe that too, but I don't know anyone who says it more often than Gold." Regina was breathless from listing off evidence.

"Goddammit, Regina, no! I can't believe you're blaming a fucking apocalypse on a ghost! Are you that jealous of Neal?" Emma accused.

Regina looked as if she'd been slapped across the face, and Emma wanted to take back her words. "Why on earth would I be jealous of him?"

Emma couldn't stop herself, no matter how much she tried. "Gee, I dunno. Maybe because I talked to _him_ instead of _you_! Or maybe because I was _him_ in limbo, and not _you_!"

"Stop it!" Henry roared; his voice ricocheted off of the walls, and everyone turned to look at him. His heart was racing faster than a Nascar driver, and all he could think about was saving his grandfather. "You guys have to stop! Look outside, Moms! Look at them," he held an arm out to his siblings. "We don't have time for this! Gold is dying, and the rest of the town probably thinks they're gonna die too." Henry inhaled deeply before letting the next few words escape. "If Mom's right, if Dad... if Dad's doing this, then we gotta stop him. We can't risk the safety of everyone else because you don't wanna believe something." He made eye contact with Emma, and spoke with a heavy heart. "I'm the sheriff now, and my job is to protect everyone in this town- that includes you guys."

Everything Emma thought she knew about Neal began to deteriorate; the room flared before her eyes the way the town had when she'd fainted. In a split second, the people around her were gone, and only Neal was there. He wasn't smiling or laughing as he had been just a day and a half ago. He wore an earnest grimace, and before Emma could say anything to him, he vanished. The room returned to it's previous state, and Regina was the one in front of Emma again.

There was nothing Emma wanted more in that moment than to run out of the station- escape the devastation around her. But she didn't. She remained firmly planted on the floor and ignored the war that raged on in her head. "What do you want me to do? Like you said, he's not answering my calls. If it is him- which it ISN'T- he wouldn't just admit it. He's smarter than that- than all of this! Besides, how would I talk to him? Sleeping? It's not fucking nap time!" she snarled.

"There's only one way to get to him, Emma," Regina said cautiously.

"What?" Emma cried in a high-pitched tone. She sounded a lot like Faith. "Regina-"

"Emma," Gold interjected weakly. It was so rare that he used her first name, she wasn't sure if it was real or imaginary. He lifted a feeble finger and motioned for her to come closer. When Emma was less than an inch away, Gold summoned the last bit of magic in his system and conjured a small vile of glowing, green liquid. "Go on, dearie, take it. There's just enough for two passengers, if you wish."

"I can go with her?" Regina breathed.

"Aye," the fading wizard nodded. "But, only if she decides so. Because it was a place concocted by yourself, only you can designate whether or not you want anyone else with you. Emma," Gold grunted, "you haven't much time." He placed the glass container in Emma's unsteady hand, "When you see Bae... please, tell him that I love him... and that I'm sorry."

"What are you waiting for?" Snow jabbed.

Emma glared at her mother from across the room and then glanced back at the potion in her hands. "Regina, what do I do?"

Regina hadn't heard her wife sound so vulnerable in months. She kept thinking back to all those times Emma had taken charge and made her feel better, then to all of the times in the past few weeks when the roles had been reversed. This was another one of those situations. Regina moved forward boldly, conjured two, identical cots on the floor, and took the bottle out of Emma's hand. In a swift twist, Regina pulled the out stopper and offered it to the blonde. "After you."

* * *

**A/N **- CAN YOU BELIEVE LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE?! I'M STILL IN SHOCK! Haha, anyway, I hope you're enjoying this! It's coming to a close soon, dearies. But, I have plans to begin an AU fic about this new curse... You shall see ;-) As always, reviews are much appreciated! You guys are awesome!


	9. Second Chances

Gold's potion ran down the back of Emma's throat like cough medicine. She choked half of the vile down in one gulp before handing it to Regina. They were told it would last as long as they needed it to. With the rest of the family acting as an audience, Emma and Regina took their places on their cots and drifted off into their unconscious.

* * *

_"It wasn't supposed to be like this," a dark voice said. Emma and Regina landed in the middle of the road, and craned their necks until they saw Neal in front of the Bug. It was parked right in front of Gold's shop. "I didn't mean for it to go this far." _

_"Neal?" Emma asked in a quivering voice. _

_"I didn't know what else to do..." Neal went on, ignoring Emma's heartbroken voice. "I panicked." _

_"It's true," the blonde gasped. "You did this? You did all of this?" _

_Neal gave Emma puppy dog eyes, as if he thought they would help. What he saw when he looked at Emma was not sympathy, but disgust. "Emma, I can explain."_

_"Explain what?!" Emma bawled. Her face fell into her hands as he tried to hide the tears. "Jesus fucking Christ! It was you this whole time?!" _

_"No one was supposed to get hurt." Neal pleaded with Emma to listen, but she was too far gone. _

_"And that makes it ok?" Emma spat. "Godammmit, Neal! I trusted you!"_

_"You still can!" Neal appealed._

_A mix of revulsion and shock crossed Emma's face as her cheeks turned bright red. "I swear to god Neal, right now, I wish you never came back." _

_"No, don't say that," he whined. "I told you, this wasn't supposed to happen! It wasn't part of the plan!" _

_"What plan are you talking about?!" Emma wailed. Regina remained quiet as the two opposing forces bickered. She was only there to keep her wife safe... _

_Neal bit down on his tongue and changed the subject. It was too early to tell Emma. "What's _she _doing here?" _

_Still high on adrenaline, Emma grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her closer. "She's my wife, I wanted her here."_

_"That's not how you felt two days ago," Neal probed. _

_Regina tried to brush off the hurt, but it was possible. "Our marriage is none of your business," she said boldly. _

_"Emma's relationship with me is none of _your_ business, either," Neal challenged. _

_"We don't have a relationship, Neal!" Emma cried. "You blowing shit up, hurting my family, that's not how relationships work!" She gave Regina's hand a comforting squeeze before letting the next words fall out of her mouth. "What happened to you? How'd you get like this?" _

_Rage filled Neal's lungs as he heard Emma's question, and suddenly, he flew forward; he was gone from the Bug and stood right across from Emma and Regina. "My life- everything I loved- was ripped from me! My own father left me for dead! I _never_ got to watch my son grow up! And when I do see you guys again, when I find my father, I get shot, Emma! That's what happened to me!" _

_"How'd you do it?" Emma asked without missing a beat. "How did you do all of this?" _

_"Ah, well, I can't take all the credit. I guess dear old dad helped me some," Neal commented. The fury in his voice was gone, but what remained was hatred. Upon seeing Emma and Regina's confused expressions, he amended his remarks. "He wasn't directly involved. God no. But, his knack for magic was." _

_"I thought you didn't have any," Emma squawked. _

_Neal paced the empty streets with his hands twisting in one another. "I didn't. But, you know what they say: 'magic is emotion.' And I've got plenty of that." _

_"You mean anger?!" _

_"Careful, Emma," Regina warned. _

_Neal looked at the brunette comically. "Your Majesty," he bowed with thick sarcasm. "You know, I never expected you two to shack up. I don't think anyone did." _

_"Rule number one, always expect the unexpected," Regina chided courageously. "It makes you stronger." _

_"Really? And how's that worked out for you? A dead lover, a dead father, and a dead mother. Has that really made you stronger?" _

_"Hey!" Emma snapped. She'd caught Neal's attention again, and pulled it off of her wife. "Don't EVER talk to her like that, you hear me? Insult me, call me names, curse me, I don't care, but NEVER address my wife like that!" _

_Neal's jubilant persona quickly dissipated, "Em, we-"_

_"I told you not to call me that," the Savior reminded cooly. She wished, more than anything, that she had her gun with her. _

_"You were always so headstrong, you never could see reason; always leading with your head. We both know you don't belong here." _

_"Stop! Don't act like you know me!" Emma shouted._

_"Why not? I know you better than most people. Probably even better than her," Neal nodded to Regina._

_That was the last straw for Regina. She'd tried to remain placid, but enough was enough. "Oh really? And who's been the one staying up late with her, rocking her back and forth, wiping the sweat from her face after her nightmares? Who's been there since you died to pick up the pieces of, not only your son, but the woman you claim to care about? Who's seen their wife die and come back twice, and never leave her side? We've survived 16 years, five kids, and a plethora of other disasters! I know more about Emma than you ever have, and more than you ever will, so don't presume to assume how much knowledge I have!" _

_Emma gawked at her lover, shell-shocked at the sudden outpouring of emotions. She felt Regina shudder beside her, and knew how much it took for Regina to say that out loud. If she wasn't mistaken, Neal was slightly shaken as well. "Just tell us what you want, Neal." _

_The tired man shook his head in disdain at Emma's simplicity. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't about what I want. It's about what has to happen." _

* * *

"Gold? Come on, stay with us," David urged forcefully.

The doomed wizard was worsening by the minute, as the effects of his dagger were taking place. Belle was inconsolable. She wouldn't let go of her husband, no matter how sickly he looked. "Rumple, please!"

Gold's eyes fluttered open as he managed to pet Belle's arm. "Shh, it's all right, dearie. It'll be over soon."

* * *

_"You wanna know how I did it?" Neal asked Regina. "The same way my father became so hated in his land; I lied. It's funny, you know. I never expected them to listen to me... I thought they'd laugh in my face." _

_"Gee, don't stop now," Emma said cynically. _

_Neal quit his pacing, took off his jacket, and tossed it on the ground. He was starting to break a sweat. "Everyone wants something to fight for. Right?" he looked at Regina. "Power, magic, revenge. You give them a reason, and poof, they do your bidding." _

_"That's it? You gave them false hope?"_

_Neal's scarf was the second thing to come off; he dropped it on the cement as if it were nothing. "I told Cora and Pan they could have what they've always wanted: power. If they just brought Henry to me, they could have all the power they could dream of. I knew where my father's dagger was hidden. He thought it was safe, buried at the border. Once I had it, I could do what I wanted... including resurrecting the dead- something even I didn't know about." Neal swallowed hard and took a preparatory breath. "George was easy. Part of him had died with his son, and that's how I got to him. He'd been tucked away in a pocket of Storybrooke no one went to. I told him he could rule again if he could scare your father out of power... I didn't think he'd actually try and shoot the guy, and I didn't think you'd be there to take the bullet," he told Emma. "When you saw him here, and he was relaying the orders I'd given him, I knew he'd rat me out."_

_"So you killed him? His soul?" Emma interpreted. _

_"He was gonna expose me, Emma," Neal said as though it made up for his actions. "Jonathan was the easiest. Being dead for so long, you cross paths with other spirits. I met one named Anita. She offered her services, said she wanted to get back at her daughter... Apparently, wolves can communicate telepathically- in death and in life. She passed the message on to the kid and bam, he went looking for Red."_

_Emma was repulsed by Neal's laid back retelling of events. He wasn't the same Neal she had known when she was younger, or even in the past few months. "Why do more damage then, huh? Why take it even further?"_

_"Because someone had to finish the job," Neal admitted. "Whatever happens in this world, happens in your world. My father's shop, the tremors..."_

_"Then why target the town?_

_"The town was never the mark, Emma. Believe it or not, you never were, either. We've got a crazy history, but it was never you. It was always my father... Rumplestiltskin." _

* * *

Gold could feel his pain coming to an end; the numbness started in his toes and worked its way through his body, up to his finger tips. He turned to get one, last look at his family- yes, his family, all of them- and could only smile. Belle was sobbing at his side, her face buried in his jacket. "Belle, dearie, I love you."

"Please, no!" the Aussie wept.

"Henry, my boy," Gold slurred. "Be strong. Be kind. I love you."

"I love you, too." Henry leaned down and kissed his grandfather's head. He could hear the last bit of air release through Gold's lips, as the man finally passed on. His eyes glossed over, and Henry closed them immediately. Within seconds, Gold's body dematerialized, and the bench was empty. Except for Belle's fit, the room was silent.

* * *

_"__I don't get it. You did all of this to get back at Gold?" Emma was flabbergasted. _

_"Not all of it. I did it for you, too," Neal explained. Emma's pure look of horror burned an image in Neal's mind as he tried to clean up what he'd said. "As long as he's alive, no one can be happy. What I told the others was true, the balance of good and evil needs to be fixed. My father has too much evil in him for there to be good." _

_"If you knew as much as you thought you did, you'd realize you're wrong. Gold isn't the enemy anymore. He saved Henry in Neverland. He's helped our entire family, he's protected them and watched over them," Emma informed. "He's good now." _

_"You don't know my father like I do! He does nothing but break promises! Did you know I was in Neverland? I was stuck there, and no one came to rescue me. I had to save myself! My father wasn't there! It was just me!" _

_"That's no one's fault but my own," an older voice answered. The trio searched for the source until their gazes fell upon a man standing in front of his own shop. _

_Neal stumbled backwards, unable to catch his own footing. For the first time in decades, Neal let the words he'd fought so hard to forget slip through his lips. "Papa?" _

_Without his cane, Gold walked into the triangle and made it a square. "It's been a while, Baelfire." _

_The younger man was at a loss for words, he couldn't take his eyes off of his father. "What... what are you dong here?" _

_Gold held his hands out in a "Well" motion, "I assume that I'm dead. Am I correct?" Emma and Regina's reactions mirrored each other's: sympathy, sorrow, and clarity. They had the same epiphany, and they were sure Gold did too. It was only a matter of time until Neal, the supposed spirit guide would come around. "You got what you wanted, Bae. I'm gone... the evil is gone. Leave them alone, they didn't do what I did." _

_"But- why-"_

_"I'm sure you can figure it out, son. You always were clever," Gold reminded gently. _

_"Your favorite place... it's with me?" Neal exhaled. _

_"That it is," the wizard nodded._

_"No. No you left me! You didn't want me!"_

_"I did leave you, yes, but I always wanted you, Bae. I regretted my decision the moment your hand fell out of mine." Gold dug in his jacket pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and offered it to the two women. "I understand you were looking for this." When Regina opened her mouth to ask how he knew, Gold held his hand up. "I may not be able to foresee everything, but, I did predict this. Not with magic... with logic." _

_Emma unfurled the page impatiently and scoured the words. "Why wasn't this in the book?" _

_"Why else, dearie? I was a coward. I've carried this with me since we got to this land, because, even when I didn't remember who I was, I knew what I'd done," Gold confided. "How could I let others know I tried to take my own life? That I'd given up finding my son?" _

_"That's not being a coward," Emma observed. "That's losing hope."_

_"I understand why you did this, Bae. I'm probably the only one who could."_

_"You don't know the first thing about me," Neal shot at Gold. _

_"But I am your papa. I know all I need to. You targeted the others out of jealousy; you've been watching for some time. You've seen the way I found family again." _

_"You moved on like nothing ever happened, like I never existed!" Neal bellowed. _

_"Baelfire-"_

_"It's Neal!" _

_"Neal, none of them had anything to do with this... Let us settle it alone, without causing any more pain," Gold proposed. "We can have a fresh start in this world of yours. Let me be the father I was supposed to be."_

_Neal considered Gold's proposition, and he couldn't deny that it sounded real; like Gold might actually keep his promise. But then, for a second, Neal was a boy again, and Gold was the Dark One. "You're just going to leave again!" _

_"Where would I go, son? My spirit is here, where it'll stay for eternity, just as yours will. But you don't have to do it alone, not anymore." _

_Neal was panting heavily as if he'd just run a five mile race. He wasn't even sure if he was hearing Emma, or imagining things."You're getting a second chance Neal. You need to take it. I've been trying to make it right with Henry since I got here, and even though he says he's ok with my choice, I still feel guilty. You're his father, he will always love you."_

_"Not after this," Neal shook his head. "Not after everything I've done." _

_"He doesn't have to know," Regina allowed. She couldn't believe was actually offering to defend Neal- the man who had done everything to destroy them._

_"No," Neal mumbled. "He should know the truth... We've had enough lies in this family. Tell him... tell him I'm sorry... and that I love him... And Emma?" _

_All those times Emma thought that she'd heard Neal say her name after his death finally become a reality. "Yeah?" _

_"You were never meant to get hurt. I mean that," Neal argued. "Never." _

_"I know... Now, uh, can you, you know, stop trying to wipe out Storybrooke?" Emma wasn't trying to be funny, she was dead serious. _

_Neal surrendered, "It's over." _

* * *

**A/N - **Phew! I proofread this six or seven times, so I hope there aren't many typos! I also hope I didn't disappoint with this. I had to make some tough decisions regarding this story (I know it's not real), because I know there are a lot of passionate SwanThief fans, as well as Rumple rans. Please, if you weren't happy with it, don't leave/PM harsh comments. I have yet to receive them, but I'm a little nervous with this. Anyway, sorry for rambling! One more chapter, and this will be wrapped up! Thanks for sticking with it, and for your great feedback!


	10. Lead With Your Heart

When Emma and Regina had regained consciousness, they were informed that they'd been out for a day and a half. Their family hadn't left their sides. The Swan-Mills children gathered around their two mothers and wrapped their arms around them as tight as they would go. Snow, David, and Johanna were next; the pure look of relief on David's face said a thousand words. Maya gave her future in-laws welcoming hugs, with the absence of Henry. Even Belle hadn't gone up to the women for that matter. Gold's two relative huddled together in grief; only they could truly empathize with each other at the loss. The only thing left of Rumplestiltskin was his legacy.

Emma and Regina held onto each other's hands as they lead their family out of the station and into the street. The sky had returned to its normal baby blue, the ground remained still, and somehow, the crack in the road had vanished. Slowly, other residents of Storybrooke came out of hiding, stunned at the mysterious repairs to their town. Cars with anxious parents sped down Main Street and pulled up to the library. Emma could see Red guiding students to their families.

In less than 36 hours, everything had gone back to the way it had been. There were no traces of Neal, except for memories. They may have returned home, but Regina and Emma's work was far from over.

* * *

Gold's memorial service was a small one. Only family attended. Regina used her magic one last time to create a bronze headstone for her former mentor that read, "_Rumplestiltskin, A Great Wizard, And An Extraordinary Man." _The family planted it right next to Neal's. They were all in agreement that that's what he would have wanted. With his dagger encased in a concrete block, Gold was finally laid to rest.

Belle said little during the ceremony, but Henry gave a moving eulogy. He didn't have much, but it touched everyone there. "For a long time, my grandfather was seen as a villain. He thought that villains didn't get happy endings... He made some bad choices, but he always looked out for a lot of us. He was smart, wise, kind, and funny in his own way. He never... he was never the Dark one to me. He was just my grandpa. He got to have a family, a life. He got to have his happy ending."

Emma and Regina told Henry about Neal the day after Gold's memorial. They didn't want to do it before; they didn't want to make things worse. Though, they supposed there was no "good time" to reveal such a harsh truth.

Henry had taken the news relatively well. He didn't punch a wall or break any glass. However, his entire idea of his father had shattered, and he spent the rest of the cold day with Maya at his castle, never minding that is was 12 degrees outside.

At the same time, Emma and Regina had never actually discussed the events that took place in limbo. They were reminded that their hectic life didn't stop on a whim. Sure, Emma and Regina shared the same bed and talked about their days, but they never actually dealt with their encounter with Neal. It was as though their experience in the spiritual plane had never taken place. Both women knew it was bound to happen, and both women were dreading it.

As the Mayor, Regina had duties to fulfill. As the Deputy, Emma had orders from her son- the Sheriff. She was impressed Henry was able to work in the very place his grandfather had died. At 30 years-old, his outstanding maturity still impressed Emma. For the time being, life was all about work.

* * *

December 31 rolled by; the last day of 2030. Normally, Regina threw large, festive New Year's parties. This year, she wasn't quite sure what to do. After Belle convinced her that Gold would have wanted everyone to enjoy themselves, Regina agreed to throw a celebration in his honor.

Apple cider, hot chocolate, sparkling juice for the kids, and water were served as beverages. Apple turnovers, brownies, cookies, and leftover candy canes were the snacks. Gold had always been fond of Regina's home-made brownies.

The family gathered together in the living room with the TV blaring the countdown to the new year. There was just half an hour of 2029, and everyone was set on making the most of it. Everyone was set on making a last minute memory.

While the kids all kept each other company, the adults mingled amongst each other. It had been a whirlwind week, but somehow, they were still managing. Henry had spent a lot of time with Belle; helped with the shop, sorted through Gold's belongings, lent a shoulder for moral support. Regina and Emma couldn't have asked for a better son.

Emma was on her way to refill her cider, when she bumped into her father at the refreshments counter. "Hey," she greeted calmly.

"Hey yourself," David winked. He held a glass of hot cider close to his chest; the warmth provided a comfortable at-ease mood for him. David pointed at the youngest Swan-Mills offspring, "They seem to be handling things well."

"They are," Emma concurred. She side-glanced at the aging man and wanted nothing more than for things to back to the way they were. Emma wasn't so simple-minded to think things would ever be the same, though. "Dad, look... I've been meaning to talk to you for a while."

"Uh oh. What'd I do now?" David semi-teased.

Emma saw through his humorous exterior. She always did. "I know you've been going through a lot since... well, since that day at Granny's. Regina told me she talked with you. She was right, you know. Words can hurt, but so can saying nothing at all. Just for the record, I don't blame you for any of it... Granny's or being deputy. Stuff happens. I think we both needed a reminder."

David, ever the macho-man, fought valiantly to keep the tears in his eyes. "Dad, one more thing." Emma dug a small badge out of her pocket and held it out to the stoic man. "I talked with Regina. I think it's time for me to retire. If you're ok with it, I want you to be deputy again. Henry'd do better with you there instead of me watching over him."

David let a soft chuckle escape, "It's not so easy being the parent of the sheriff, is it?"

"No, I guess not." She dropped the deputy's pin in David's empty hand.

"Emma," David started, "you're my daughter. Anything that happens to you, whenever you get hurt, I'm always going to feel guilty that I couldn't stop it. It just comes with the territory."

The blonde checked over her shoulder and watched Henry engage in conversation with Belle. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"And Emma?"

The last time someone said that, she'd reemerged from dream world. "Yeah, Dad?"

As Emma turned back to face her father, David's arms cloaked her body and she felt his warmth. "I'm proud of you, and I love you... more than you'll ever know."

"I love you too, Dad. Thanks. Ok, come on," Emma griped when David didn't let go. "Dad, seriously. Our wives are gonna come looking for us soon." Then, David released his embrace, cupped Emma's cheeks and kissed her forehead. With that, he left his daughter in the kitchen.

"You're popular tonight, dear," the Queen mused.

"I'm popular every night, babe," the Savior chided coyly. She wrapped one arm around Regina's waist and pecked her cheek. "I've got something for you." Amid her wife's protests, Emma dragged the brunette through the house and into the study.

"Emma, we can't just leave our guests," Regina rebuked.

"They'll be ok for a few minutes. I just wanted to do something without the peanut gallery." Emma closed the gap between them until they were touching noses. Like a head-on car crash, her lips collided with Regina's, her hands ran through her hair, and Regina melted in Emma's arms. "There," the blonde panted.

"Not that I'm complaining, dear, but that was rather sudden. What brought this on?"

One corner of Emma's mouth turned upward, "Eh, could be the fire last week. Could be the armageddon the other day. Or, it could be the fact that we communicated with the dead. Take your pick."

Regina's grin faltered slowly, "I'm sorry about Neal." It was the first time she'd addressed Emma about Neal's actions. She hadn't even looked at her wife when they told Henry.

"I'm sorry about Gold," Emma reciprocated. "Looks like we both lost someone this week."

"Yes, but I'm used to it. You haven't gone through as many deaths."

"Gina, I'm starting to finally understand that death's a part of life... whether you're used to it or not doesn't make it any less sad."

"That's true, dear. Quite true." Regina stayed safe and content in Emma's hold; she hadn't felt so secure in weeks. "Emma, can I be honest?"

"Yeah, please."

Regina rested her forehead against Emma's and closed her eyes. "I was jealous of Neal. Not because I thought you were attracted to him, but because he got to be there when I wasn't. You two shared a life before you came to storybrooke. You created a child together. He saw a side of you that I've never seen before."

"Gina," Emma placed a finger under her spouse's chin, "what Neal and I had wasn't a life- not the kind that you and I have. Yeah, we had Henry, but you and I had four more beautiful kids. You said it yourself, you were here for me when Neal wasn't. I know we've got a lot to talk about, but this... this is nothing, Gina. You're everything." The brunette let out a hearty chuckle and shook her head; her hair brushed against Emma's cheek. "What's so funny?"

Regina managed to compose herself once more, just long enough to voice her thoughts. "I think we're getting back to our old selves, Emma. You're here, trying to assuage my concerns, and I'm..."

"You're ridiculously incredible," Emma finished Regina's sentence. "No matter what else happens, never forget that." She let her long blonde locks fall over her face. "He was so...bitter, so full of rage."

"It happens to all of us. It seems as though he finally got what he always wanted: a family."

"I think that's what we all want in life; a place where we belong."

"Yes, and I hope you know that you have that." She moved in for another kiss, and fireworks erupted around them. "There's one more thing," Regina broke away from Emma's lips. "Neal said you're stubborn... I agree. You're a natural-born leader, Emma. You're the Savior. No one would expect any less of you. Your magic is so strong, just like you, you don't even realize when you're using it. Your will is unmeasurable, and your tenacity... Emma, you move, and everyone follows. This time, though, you finally let someone else do the saving. Neal was wrong about everything else: you don't lead with your mind, dear. You lead with your heart."

For a second, Emma felt as if she were floating- she and Regina. Their scattered talks over the past few weeks brought few insights into each other's minds, but this one... as Archie would say, they had a "breakthrough." "A heart you've had since day one, Gina." From the other room, voices grew louder and louder as the countdown to the last 30 seconds of 2030 intensified. One more kiss, and Regina was pulling Emma out of the study and into the living room.

Everyone was glued to the television as the Ball in times Square lowered with every second. Henry stood behind Maya with his arms hugging her torso, obvious anticipation on his face. David, Johanna, Snow, and Belle awaited the New Year together; David gave his daughter a paternal smile. Dani, Dakota, August, and Faith all grouped together in front of their mothers and beamed up at them excitedly; the promise of a new year with fresh starts and new opportunities weighed on their shoulders.

The network announcer wore a tight grin in the chilly air, his ears and nose were pink from the cold. One hand pressed against his inner-earphone as he counted down in the microphone. "Five... four... three... two... one! Happy New Year!"

The living room exploded in boisterous cheers for the new year; couples kissed, hugs were given, kisses were exchanged, and smiles were sent on to one another. Emma and Regina held onto their children lovingly, never wanting to let go. They wished they could have frozen that moment in time and keep it forever.

Henry and Emma shared a second just between the two of them; the young man peered down at his mother and saw his whole life in her eyes. "Happy New Year, Ma."

"Happy New Year Kid," Emma sighed.

Henry moved on to hugging the rest of his family, when Emma felt familiar hands on her waist. "Happy New Year, my Savior," Regina whispered in her ear.

Emma swiveled around and her lips met Regina's, her previous reservations about her family watching disappeared. "Happy New Year, my Queen."

* * *

**A/N **- And that's a wrap on "Lead With Your Heart!" Thanks so much for sticking with me during this story! Your reviews are much appreciated! More time to spend on "The Queen's Savior!" If you haven't checked it out yet, it's my most recent posting (other than this). Thanks again for all of the feedback, dearies!


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